Source: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice

According to a wire report over the weekend, outfielder Bernie Williams is “leaning toward” accepting the Yankees offer of a minor league contract with an invitation to big league camp in spring training.



That hardly means we’ll see the popular Yankees veteran in Northeast Pennsylvania, though.

In a telephone interview with the Times-Tribune, Yankees farm director Mark Newman said that even if Williams accepts the minor league contract, he isn’t likely to accept an assignment to the minor leagues.

“No, I don’t expect it to happen,” Newman said.

It’s likely that 38-year-old Williams will use the contract as a chance to make the big league team and retire if he doesn’t.

In a 16-year major league career — all with the Yankees — Williams has amassed 2,336 hits and 287 home runs while becoming wildly popular among Yankees fans. Over the past three years, though, Williams’ role in New York has gradually deminished.