TAMPA, Fla. -- Left-hander Andy Pettitte is coming back to the New York Yankees.

Pettitte, who retired before last season, has signed a one-year minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, the team said. If he is added to the major league roster, he gets a $2.5 million deal.

"I think I told y'all, when people asked, 'Would I ever come back?' I said, 'You know what? I would probably be too embarrassed to come back because I'm retiring and I'm announcing a retirement,' " Pettitte said. "That's where I've been over the three or four days. I am embarrassed that I'm coming back. What can I do?

"Things have changed. My desire to do this has changed. I sure in the heck don't want to look back 10 years from now and said, 'Man, I wish I would have done that.' "

For Pettitte, that was the bottom line. He said he knows in his heart that he is doing the right thing.

"I believe if I'm mentally right, then I'm going to win," he said.