NEW YORK — B.J. Upton is on his way to the Atlanta Braves and Andy Pettitte is staying with the New York Yankees in decisions which began to heat up Major League Baseball's offseason. Also, with the winter meetings only days away, a pair of potential closers made their choices: Ryan Madson joined the Los Angeles Angels and Jonathan Broxton remained with the Cincinnati Reds. Looking for a new center fielder and some right-handed pop, Atlanta found both in Upton, who had 28 homers and 31 steals for Tampa Bay last season. The fleet-footed free agent agreed to a $75.25 million, five-year contract, a person familiar with the deal said Wednesday. The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been completed. It was expected to be announced Thursday once Upton passes his physical. Upton's score would be the biggest free-agent contract of the offseason so far and the largest in Braves history. Pettitte, meanwhile, will return for another season in pinstripes. Feeling strong at age 40, the veteran lefty pitcher completed a one-year deal worth $12 million, putting MLB's biggest postseason winner back in the Bronx. “I think we're good enough to go all the way, I really do,” Pettitte said on a conference call. “I'm at the point where, if I didn't feel like we had a chance to win it deep down, I wouldn't do this.” The five-time World Series champion retired after the 2010 season to spend more time at home but then decided to come back this year — while working as an instructor during spring training — and signed a contract guaranteeing him $2.5 million. Pettitte went 5-4 with a 2.87 ERA in 12 starts. He missed almost three months after breaking his lower left leg on June 27. The move means the American League East champs are set to start 2013 with the same rotation as last season: CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Pettitte, Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova or David Phelps. Next up for general manager Brian Cashman could be a contract for 43-year-old closer Mariano Rivera, determined to come back from a torn knee ligament. Madson is making a comeback from Tommy John surgery, and he agreed to a one-year deal with the Angels five days before the start of MLB's winter meetings in Nashville, Tennessee. The longtime Philadelphia reliever missed last season with Cincinnati, which signed him in January after a stellar performance in 2011 with the Phillies. He had surgery in April on a torn ligament in his right elbow. Well ahead of schedule in his recovery, Madson said he expects to be the Angels' closer. General Manager Jerry Dipoto agreed the veteran is likely to supplant Ernesto Frieri when fully healthy. — AP
