“I think if they wanted me, they would have signed me already,” said Williams, who has spent 16 seasons with the Yankees, the only team he has played for. “The option to go to spring training and see what happened — I don’t think at this moment it is something I want to consider.”

Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman, reached by telephone Friday night, said there was no space for Williams.

“We love and respect Bernie, but with the dynamic of our roster, there’s not a spot,” Cashman said. “We had a lot of conversations with him. I understand that he doesn’t want to accept a minor league deal.”
(N.Y. Times)

Saying good-bye is never easy. Bernie Williams is one of my very favorite Yankees of them all. It’s funny, how we love our favorites for different reasons. I love Bernie because I never thought he would become such an accomplished player (and look at him, he’s a borderline Hall of Famer). Not bad for a skinny kid who was picked-on, and often looked lost when he first arrived in the Bronx. I’m as proud of him as I have ever been of any Yankee. Regardless of whether or not he has any real value left for the team, I will miss watching him play dearly.