NEW YORK (AP) – Tony Clark agreed Monday to a $750,000, one-year contract with the New York Yankees and will be the backup to first baseman Jason Giambi, who had left knee surgery following last season.

Clark had 254 at-bats with the New York Mets last season, batting .232 with 16 home runs and 43 RBIs.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Giambi is 100 percent following his operation.

New York needed a new backup after trading Nick Johnson to Montreal.

in the deal that brought right-hander Javier Vazquez to the Yankees.

“He’s got full range and flexibility but he’ll need time off along the way,” Cashman said. “We’ll need to have an alternate which, prior to this signing,m we didn’t have.”

Clark can make an additional $150,000 in bonuses based on plate appearances: $25,000 for 350 and each additional 25 plate appearances up to 475.

To make room for Clark on the 40-man roster, the Yankees designated infielder Fernando Seguignol for assignment.

In another move, the team also hired former Chicago Bulls general manager Jerry Krause in a scouting role. Krause was GM for the Bulls from 1985-2002 and retired late last season, citing health problems.

A two-time NBA executive of the year, Krause was a baseball scout before coming to the Bulls.

AP-ES-01-12-04 1609EST