NELSON REPLACES BENITEZ IN NEW SETUP

In continuing to tinker with their bullpen, the Yankees have brought back a reliever they were never able to replace.

Right-handed setup man Jeff Nelson, whom the Yankees did not prevent from going home to Seattle after the 2000 season, was reacquired from the Mariners on Wednesday for Armando Benitez.

Nelson, 36, criticized Mariners general manager Pat Gillick for not making a deal before Thursday’s non-waiver trade deadline. Nelson is known to be outspoken, and it led to confrontations with Yankees manager Joe Torre in the past.

“Nellie is Nellie, just as I say Bernie is Bernie,” Torre said. “You have to take the whole package. He gives us a weapon against right-handed hitters in the late innings. Nellie got mad at me for not putting him on the All-Star team [in 2000]. I got him on the next year when I had an opening. A few times he would say something, and an hour later he’d come into my office and tell me he didn’t mean to say that. He’s a high-energy guy, excitable.”

The Yankees put in a waiver claim for Nelson, and the Mariners did likewise for Benitez, 30. Seattle closer Kaz Sasaki rejoined the team Wednesday after being on the disabled list since June 11 because of a fractured rib.

Sasaki’s injury led to conversations between Gillick, who had Benitez in Baltimore, and Yankees GM Brian Cashman. The Yankees will also send cash to Seattle to offset some but not all of the remaining $980,000 disparity in their salaries.

“They had more of a need for Armando, and we had the same need for Nelson,” Cashman said. “Benitez was a setup man for us, but he’ll have a chance to be a closer there. Jeff gives us more options in matchups late in games.”

“I was surprised,” said Benitez, who came to the Yankees three weeks ago from the Mets for three minor league pitchers. “I’m not mad or disappointed. I would have liked to stay here. I had a lot of fun in New York.”

The Mariners are at Yankee Stadium this weekend in a matchup of division leaders.

Benitez appeared in nine games for the Yankees, going 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in 9 1/3 innings. Nelson, in 46 games for the Mariners, was 3-2 with a 3.35 ERA and seven saves in 37 2/3 innings.

In five seasons with the Yankees (1996-2000), Nelson was 22-19 with a 3.41 ERA and eight saves in 690 appearances.

In 2001, Nelson returned to Seattle, his hometown and where his major-league career began in 1992, by signing a three-year, $9 million contract after the Yankees made no offer. A year later, they gave righthander Steve Karsay a four-year deal worth $22.5 million. Karsay is out for the season because of right shoulder bursitis.

“All that stuff that was written when I left New York was way overblown by the media and especially TV,” Nelson said. “I never had one bit of trouble with the Yankees or the manager. Never.”

Originally Published: August 7, 2003 at 4:00 AM EDT