By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees have finalized a record $324 million, nine-year contract. The 29-year-old right-hander was introduced during a news conference at Yankee Stadium. He brought along a crinkled poster board that read “Yankee Fan Today Tomorrow Forever." Cole was caught on camera holding up that placard in the seats at the 2001 World Series in Phoenix when he was 11. He now says “it was my dream” to sign with the Yankees. His deal is the largest for a pitcher in both its total and its average annual value of $36 million. Cole was 20-5 with an AL-leading 2.50 ERA and a major league-leading 326 strikeouts for Houston last season.

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