Pettitte Watch '03-'04 I am going to sticky this so that we don't have 40 threads started every time Andy blinks. If you have some pertenent info about him put it in here.
I posted this in the Wagner thread, but I'll repeat it here. On 610 this morning, he said that money will not be the deciding factor in his decision.
GM Cashman says Yanks want to keep pitcher ESPN.com news services New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte is going to test the free-agent market, general manager Brian Cashman told The New York Times for Wednesday's editions. Pettitte, 31, has not yet filed for free agency, meaning the Yankees will remain the only team able to negotiate with the pitcher until Monday. New York, however, has yet to make an offer at this point. "He's come this far," Cashman told The Times. "He's going to go out and find out what his market is first. He's going to elect free agency." The Houston Astros seem the most likely candidate to pursue Pettitte, who lives outside Houston, after the team relieved itself of $8 million in salary Monday when closer Billy Wagner was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. But Cashman, who had been silenced before Tuesday under a gag order imposed by principal owner George Steinbrenner, told The Times he was not concerned with the Astros' supposed interest in Pettitte. "You expect to have a competition on your hands when a player of Andy's ability is available," Cashman said. "All you can do is what you feel is best. We'd love to keep Andy. We'll have our discussions, put our best foot forward and hope for the best. He's put himself in a great situation." In the aftermath of the Yankees' six-game World Series loss to the Florida Marlins -- Pettitte was the Yankees' most dependable starter in the 2003 postseason, winning three times in five starts -- manager Joe Torre told the left-hander to do what was best for his family. Pettitte said he would call Torre, but has not done so. "When he's ready to talk about it, we'll talk," Torre told The Times. "But I don't think there's any question everybody here wants him back."
Well, it wouldn't be the first time an athlete said it wasn't about the money and then went where they could get the most money. I'm sure we all hope in our hearts that Pettitte means it when he says it, but do we really know enough about him to think that he's different than all the other athletes who have said that in the past? I'm not calling him a liar, I'm just saying this is par for the course in a situation like this. I hope we get him!
I wouldn't call it lying, but when's the last time you heard an athlete come out and say "On my next contract, I'm looking to get P-A-I-D"? Clemons said he didn't care about the money...before he signed with the yankers. Come home, Andy!
Hey Castor, I am glad you spelled his name right, there have about 4 or 5 ways of spelling it on here.
Yeah, no doubt. Plus, we have people who can't even spell our own manager's name or don't know the correct pronunciation/spelling of our RF's nickname.
Funny you should mention that. I actually had to look it up on ESPN.com to make sure I got it correct
I was one who thought for sure that there is no chance that the Yankees watch this guy walk. However, after listening to some of the sports talk shows, Mike and the Maddog in particular, I think there may be a chance...albeit a small one..that Pettite considers Houston. It certainly would make the Wags deal easier to stomach. Francesa, who is usually pretty accurate when discussing the Yankees, said that his "guys" are telling him that they Yankees wouldn't have been worried if the Astros didn't pull the trigger and dump Wagner. Another thing...and this is just my opinion....is that Steinbrenner hates to lose. If he thinks for a second that he will "lose" in the battle for Pettite with the Astros, he won't even enter the fray. He would rather watch Pettite sign with Houston and then go out and sign Colon and Milwood the following day than to fight over Pettite and lose.
One more thing....the 3 people who were very close with Pettite are gone....Clemens, Wells and Zimmer.
Signing Pettitte to a big contract would be a huge mistake on the Astros' part. He is a slightly above average pitcher who has had the benefit of terrific run support and pitching in a park that is perfectly suited to left handed pitchers. The 315' to the Crawford Boxes is in stark contrast to the huge left-center alley of Yankee Stadium. There are 4-5 better starters who will be available on the FA market.
But none of them would be willing to give a hometown discount and without that the astros won't stand a chance at signing one of them.
Priest Holmes did it on monday night football right before the season started. I think thats pretty much the exact phrase he used. Kinda amusing
artice from san antonio express news: Richard Oliver: Astros need Pettitte to take leap of faith Web Posted : 11/05/2003 12:00 AM Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte is back in Houston today, taking part in a charity golf tournament and breathing in the thick, sticky November air that only a Southeast Texas boy can appreciate. Astros fans hope it's intoxicating. It may be, but not nearly enough. In coming weeks, it likely won't be the comfortable feel of native soil, Billy Wagner's $8 million salary slot or the loony New York atmosphere that decides whether Pettitte rides free agency to Minute Maid Park. It may be something far more significant. God. Pettitte is devoutly religious, known off the field in New York for hawking Bibles instead of beer. He's more about manna than money, faith than fame, home than headlines. Which makes him Drayton McLane's kind of guy. The Houston owner is one of the state's preeminent Baptists, a Sunday school teacher who heads the Baylor board of regents. He's not shy about his faith and his appreciation for others who feel the same. If one of them happens to be a 21-game winner who can throw a wicked slider from the left side, it could be the answer to prayer. Lord knows the Astros need it. Houston fans are taking McLane's name in vain this week for his decision to trade Wagner. The growing perception, voiced by the popular reliever following the season, is that the Astros will always try to plug the leaks in their roster with masking tape and bubble gum instead of concrete solutions. Last season, inattention to glaring needs down the stretch — notably incapable starting pitching — resulted in one of the most painful collapses in franchise history. Wagner's comments riled the team's front office and owner, but echoed the increasing frustration of Astros fans who have seen the ballclub make more uniform design changes in recent years than changes designed to win a championship. On the horizon, the Astros have almost $25 million committed to Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio — franchise legends on the clear decline — as well as Lance Berkman. Starters Roy Oswalt and Wade Miller will earn appreciable raises, as will reliever Octavio Dotel, who will head into arbitration carrying the ammunition of being the perceived closer. That may earn him $4 million or more a season. With that in mind, the team is expected to jettison outfielder Richard Hidalgo and his $12 million salary in coming weeks, raising the awkward likelihood that the athletes honored at the club's baseball awards dinner in April as pitcher and player of the year for 2003 will no longer be with the franchise. Add it all up, and Wagner was still seething following his trade on Monday. "There are no bad feelings between my family and the Astros," he told the Houston Chronicle, then threw one up and in. "They gave me my best opportunity to go out and win a championship now." In Philadelphia, not Houston. Such prognostications are iffy these days in the baseball universe, where the Angels and Marlins, with payrolls roughly a third of what the Yankees enjoy, have triumphed over George Steinbrenner's pocketbook game plan the past two years. McLane and general manager Gerry Hunsicker have learned from it. Pettitte has lived it. The Astros will invite him to accept a hometown discount in salary, leave the circus behind and believe in a cosmic happenstance that lifts Anaheim and Florida to unlikely world championships. Can Houston be far behind? Wagner's situation offers an answer. Pettitte had best walk by faith. And not by sight.
