It gave Wells, 38, another chance to pitch and Yankees owner George Steinbrenner the chance to sign him to a two-year, $7-million contract. With bonuses, an option for a third year and incentives, the whole deal can be worth $30-million.

"David Wells is a winner and he belongs in pinstripes," Steinbrenner said in a statement after signing the not-as-big-as-he-used-to-be southpaw. "People may say we're going out on a limb, but we'll see. We're betting on the Boomer."

The contract, and absence of pain, are incentives to keep Wells relatively svelte. After the surgery he dropped about 30 pounds, carrying about 235 on his 6-foot-4 frame. For about 12 days the diet was brutal, he said. Now it's a part of his life, as are the cardiovascular exercises every morning, workouts at Legends Field and lifting weight three times a week.

"I'm where I want to be," he said. He meant his weight. He could have meant being in the Yankees clubhouse for the first time in three years.

He still has one goal: returning to the starting rotation. Wells, Orlando Hernandez and Sterling Hitchcock are vying for the last two starting spots. Manager Joe Torre said it will go "right down to the end (of spring training). Experience tells you these decisions will be made for you."

After six seasons with Toronto, three with Detroit and one each with Cincinnati and Baltimore, Wells signed a free-agent contract with the Yankees. He spent 1997-98 with them, going 18-4 with a perfect game the latter year.

Then he was traded back to Toronto for Roger Clemens. After two years with the Blue Jays, including a 20-8 record in 2000, he was dealt to the White Sox, a trade that didn't pan out for Chicago.

"I first began having back problems about 5-6 years ago," Wells said. "Last June I was pitching in Minnesota and had to come out of the game. I couldn't follow through. I rehabbed for two weeks. It didn't get better." He had surgery to repair two herniated discs and was done for the season.

But the surgery made life good again for Wells. "It's fun to play with the kids again," he said. "My boys want to do stuff all the time, and for the last few years I haven't been able to do that. Now I'm out every day with them having a good time and being a father figure."

Monday he went two innings against the Twins, giving up one hit, a homer. He said his back felt fine. "I'm not going to sit out there and baby it," he said. "I'm going to go all out and if it goes, it goes."

Torre said he'll let Wells go as all out as he wants. "He knows himself; we're going to let him go at the pace where he's comfortable. ... If he's healthy, he will be a big plus for us."

Had he made it through the 2000 season with Chicago, it likely would have been Wells' last. "(Retiring) wouldn't have been a tough decision," he said. "But surgery brought me back into the game because I wanted to leave healthy instead of because of back surgery. I wanted to leave on my own terms."

He could have been in Arizona today, training with the Diamondbacks. He had an oral agreement to sign with them, but lunch with the Boss put Wells back in Yankee pinstripes.

Before that, Wells thought his next stop at Yankee Stadium would be on Old Timers' Day. Maybe the Yankees did, too. "Was he on the radar screen high? No," general manager Brian Cashman said.

"To be honest," Wells said, "I'd have played anywhere just so I can leave on a healthy note. But George stepped up and gave me back my dream."

Steinbrenner called Wells and suggested lunch. They met on Christmas Eve at Pete & Shorty's restaurant in Clearwater, where Wells has celebrity status. After a few questions, Steinbrenner suddenly said, "I want to bring you back. I want you to retire as a Yankee."

Wells recalled: "It was going to be just lunch, nothing more. Then things transpired and before I knew it we had a deal. ... George works in mysterious ways."

Wells lives in Clearwater. He and his wife, Nina, talked it over. It was an easy choice. Because the Yankees hold spring training in Tampa, he gets to spend six more weeks at home with his family.

When Wells left the Yankees, uniform No. 33 went up for grabs. Shortstop Alfonso Soriano got it. When Wells returned, he didn't have to cut a deal with Soriano the way some players do when they pay teammates with cash, gifts or major favors to get their favorite number. (In 1993 Rickey Henderson paid a Toronto teammate $25,000 for No. 24.)

"He gave it back to me," Wells said of Soriano. "He was willing and able to do it. He was very nice about it, said, "Yeah, no problem.' I'm sure I'll take him to a dinner or two."

-- Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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