Many Happy Returns Key for Yankees

TAMPA, Fla. -- There are two kinds of ex-Yankees.

Those of whom Brian Cashman thinks, "Never again."

And everyone else.

While Cashman says he has never specifically thought, "I'd like to bring him back someday," after a player departs the Bronx, he did just that with three players last winter.

Cashman signed free agents Nick Johnson and Marcus Thames, one-time Yankees prospects traded away in 2003.

The least popular return of the trio, at least among some Yankees fans, is right-hander Javier Vazquez.

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The Yankees acquired Vazquez the first time from the Expos after the 2003 season, signing him to a four-year contract.

Vazquez was an All-Star in 2004, going 9-5 with a 3.42 ERA the first three months of the season. Then he faded badly -- 1-4, with a 7.30 ERA in his final nine starts -- and had a 9.53 ERA in the postseason, including an awful relief appearance in Game 7 of the ALCS against the Red Sox as the Yankees capped an unprecedented blown 3-0 lead in the series.

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For some, he will always be associated with that collapse. And by January of that offseason, he was off to Arizona in exchange for Randy Johnson.

Vazquez seemed to be pitching down the stretch at less than full health, but he won't say so.

"I'm looking forward to this year," he said. "I've answered a lot of questions since I've been here [about] the past and I just want to look forward. ... I feel good and I feel like this is going to be a good opportunity.

"I've had other years where one of the two halves was good or bad. Obviously in New York it gets bigger."

None of the three old/newcomers is being asked to carry a large load. Johnson will likely bat second, where his tendency for high on-base percentages will set the table for Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano. Thames can spell Curtis Granderson or Brett Gardner against a left-hander.

And Vazquez, amazingly, is the No. 4 starter -- after ranking among last year's NL leaders in wins, WHIP, innings, strikeouts and ERA.

"He easily could have been Cy Young [Award winner] in this league," Braves manager Bobby Cox said.

"I don't know what possibly could have happened" the first time through New York, he added.

Six years ago, Vazquez and Kevin Brown came in to restructure a rotation that had lost Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte to Houston and David Wells to the Padres after winning the AL pennant.

"It's a different situation for me because it's just a different team," Vazquez said. "We've got three horses at the front of the rotation with CC [Sabathia], A.J. [Burnett] and Andy [Pettitte]. I'm thrilled to be part of that rotation.

"I look at it the same way. Every year when I go out and pitch, I want to help the team every day. I don't see it as different expectations."

The 2004 fiasco notwithstanding, Vazquez is one of baseball's most consistent pitchers. He has never been on the disabled list and is the only active pitcher with 10 wins, 30 starts and 150 strikeouts in each of the past nine seasons.

There's a certain Kevin Bacon-ness among the returness. Johnson and Thames were both drafted by the Yankees in 1996 and were minor-league roommates. Then Johnson was part of the trade for Vazquez.

All three say they're glad to return to the Bronx.

"I always thought if I had a chance to come back," Thames said, "I would love to have another chance and put the pinstripes on."

After a year with Texas and six with Detroit, Thames returned on a minor-league deal for outfield depth and right-handed balance.

Johnson -- given a one-year, $5.75 million deal with a mutual option for 2011 -- is now being asked only to be the designated hitter, since first base, his former position, is now filled by Teixeira.

Told Thames' feelings about returning, Johnson said, "Oh yeah, I'd agree with him."

But after time in Montreal, Washington and Florida, it never occurred to Johnson that would be possible.

"When we found out there was some interest," he said, "I was extremely excited and wanted to come back."

Vazquez didn't have a choice. New York wasn't on his no-trade list, and the Braves sent him to the Yankees for outfielder Melky Cabrera.

In between Bronx tours, Vazquez went to the Diamondbacks, White Sox and Braves.

"I really didn't think about if I wanted to come back or not," he said. "In my mind, I've always thought if you go to one place and get traded or something like that, you're probably not coming back."