Fastball Fans

* Nats’ News: Second baseman Ronnie Belliard agreed to a non-guaranteed, minor league contract with the Washington Nationals on Sunday that will pay him $750,000 if he makes the team.

All My Yankees: It looks like Pavano and Mussina have brokered peace in the little tiff that Mike had with Carl last week.

From the AP: A day after Pavano said the rift between him and teammates was largely a media creation and Mussina responded with the verbal equivalent of a brushback pitch, the New York Yankees’ pitchers said they were ready to move forward.

“I told him where I was coming from, and he told me where he was coming from,” Mussina said Friday. “It should have been done without what happened yesterday, and I told him that. I apologized for that. It shouldn’t have happened that way. But at some point we probably would have needed to do it anyhow.”

Isn’t that nice? It will not doubt be business as usual once spring training begins, and the team starts to take shape. As for Pavano, he just needs to pitch and show he belongs in the majors at this point.

Bernie? According to the NY Post, Bernie Williams is expected not to show up in camp at all.

From the NY Post: According to GM Brian Cashman, there was no contact between the Yankees icon and the team yesterday. The Yankees offered Williams a minor-league invite, a chance to make the team as an extra player, but so far Williams has rejected that avenue to continue his stellar career.

“I believe Bernie can still play,” Cashman said during a pitchers-and-catchers workout at Legends. “If he believes he can help, we would love to have him. This [minor-league contract] is the only vehicle I could create. If he doesn’t want to do it, I understand. That’s all I can say.

Although the game is more of business now, I’m hoping Bernie does come back and play for the Yankees. I cannot imagine him not that on the squad. Still, I see a man with a lot of pride, versus a GM who has the interests and the bottom line of his team at heart.