SPORTS.RttP{Yankees land Pudge from Tigers for Farnsworth}

NEW YORK -- The Yankees acquired 14-time All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez from the Tigers on Wednesday in exchange for right-handed reliever Kyle Farnsworth.

The Yankees were in need of a starting catcher since Jorge Posada decided to undergo season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder. That surgery was performed on Wednesday.

Rodriguez, a 13-time Gold Glove winner, is batting .295 with five home runs and 32 RBIs in 82 games this season. A career .302 hitter, the 37-year-old catcher is in his 18th Major League season.

Farnsworth, 32, was having his best season of his three with the Yankees, pitching to a 3.65 ERA in 45 appearances. He struggled in a setup role his first two seasons after joining the Yankees as a free agent prior to the 2006 season.

Farnsworth pitched for Detroit in 2005, registering six saves before being traded to Atlanta at the July 31 Trade Deadline.

Rodriguez, who can be a free agent after this season, played for the 2003 world champion Florida Marlins and the American League-champion Tigers in 2006.

He was the AL MVP in 1999, when he batted .332 with 35 homers and 113 RBIs for the Texas Rangers. He played his first 12 seasons with the Rangers before leaving as a free agent and signing a one-year contract with Florida.

The Yankees' setup job had been increasingly filled by right-hander Jose Veras and the addition of left-hander Damaso Marte, who came in a trade with the Pirates in a deal that also netted Xavier Nady, gave them two pitchers to fill the role, making Farnsworth expendable.

The Tigers were seeking bullpen help. They moved veteran Todd Jones out of the closer's spot earlier this week.