TAMPA -- Veteran starter Freddy Garcia is the logical man who could wind up as trade bait following the Yankees' surprise signing of the iconic lefthander Andy Pettite. but there are some real complications. Such as ...

--Garcia has been out with a bruised right hand after trying to field a comebacker;

--the Yankees would have to obtain permission from Garcia for any trade done before June 16, as he was signed this winter as a major league free agent;

--Garcia makes $4 million, no bargain (though the Yankees haven't been opposed to absorbing parts of contracts before. One competing executive opined, I think they'd have to eat a bit of it.''

--Three of the main teams seeking starting pitching are competitiors of the Yankees. It's hard to imagine they'd trade him to the Red Sox. But would they trade him to Toronto or Detroit, either?

The Yankees may be wise to wait a few weeks to see how Pettitte responds to regular work once he gets going, anyway. Yankees officials expressed incredible faith in Pettitte upon signing him to  a minor-league deal for $2.5 million, but the reality is he hasn't pitched since 2010.

Pettitte could have saved the Yankees some trouble by agreeing to come back before they spent $10 million on Hiroki Kuroda and the $4 million on Garcia. But they figure he made it up by agreeing to take what Yankees people have said they believe is way less than he's worth (the $2.5 mil).

Yankees GM Brian Cashman said the talks with Pettitte went through significant "twists and turns.'' The same can be said for the others along for the ride. Garcia told Yankees writers, "You play for the Yankees, nothing surprises you.''