[ESPN Buster Olney] Pettitte will return to the Yankees

Andy's a dice roll. Of his 3-yr deal, we got 84 games out of him, which was pretty good, but the chances of devoting more money into him (that's a 2-year deal, period) and risking another elbow flameout is shaky. I'd feel more comfortable with Garland in 2007.

I think Pettite made up his mind earlier than this, and I think Roger has too. Besides, we couldn't keep continuing to hope that time was going to stand still with them.

Evan

 

I hate the Mets. I hate the Astros. I hate the Yankees.

So, my wish is to have all 3 to have 65 win seasons.

One down. Two to go!

 

Because he's a 20 year old on a STRICT pitch count... Its not the best thing in the world to let young guys like that throw 200 innings in a season (see Prior, Mark; Wood, Kerry).

Physically, the guy is pretty stout... and his stuff is electric (he just needs to learn on harnessing it , and throwing his breaking stuff for strikes).

 

Where does this elbow issue nonsense come from? He was 100% healthy for the past two years.

 

I would take Roy over Andy any day of the week for a big game. i think we will be fine if we get Roger. Purpura better be figuring out the rotation as we speak!

 

yeah...id take AP on the hill in a game 7 over smoltz any day

 

Bah! One minute the guy can't decide whether he wants to retire or not, the next minute his agent is demanding an option year. 99% of the time, it's about the money. If Dream left here for one last cash grab, anyone can leave. I'm just happy the city doesn't have to bounce up and down on Andy and Roger's c@cks anymore.

 

He missed at least 1-2 starts this year because of the tender elbow... he even said last year he wasn't close to 100% (but had his best season ever), but this year he was strong (but right in line with his career #'s, which aren't tremendous, era-wise).

 

The Hendricks Brothers are as vile as Boras. The spin that good ole', honorable Andy would decline to pick up his 2nd year option if he hurt is elbow is palpably BS. You can sure as hell believe that he will suck each of those $30 million dollars out of the payroll no matter how much he deteroriates. This loser didn't know if he wanted to pitch 3 days ago! Screw him and his rat managers.

 

Anyway i look at it i don't see Andy Pettite is not worth 16M at this point in his career. He really hasn't done all that much even as an Astro for me to be happy about and say bring him back.

 

And most of all, I hate Lights Out Lidge!

OVERRATED!

Sorry Nick.

 

People miss starts here and there all the time. If missing 2 games is now the standard for "injury risk", there aren't a lot of pitchers who are going to qualify.

Unless there is something more to this, this was a dumb decision. If you're willing to pay $6MM to Woody freaking Williams and $11MM to Jon Garland, you should be willing to pay $14MM to Andy Pettitte, who is in a whole different class of pitcher than those guys.

 

A lot of you guys are consistent, thats for sure. After reading the texan threads and this one its apparent its definitely all about the team and jersey. The second a player leaves, he's the biggest piece of **** and is ripped on, even if he is a hometown guy.

 

I can't blame either party here. I don't blame Pettitte for getting the security of a 2nd year should he stay healthy and decide to pitch. I imagine that he only did this with the blessing of his family. The Yankees were dumb enough to do it...why shouldn't he take the deal?

The amounts ($16 million in NY and $14 million in Houston) are essentially the same when you consider income taxes. I don't blame the Astros for not wanting to take a chance with the player option should the elbow become a problem again. Also, they've been getting screwed around by the Hendricks. They've had the attitude all along, and correctly so, that if AP doesn't want to be here, we'll move on.

Good luck in NY, AP. You're going to need it.

 

It's not nonsense, Major. He pitched in pain for a good part of last season (flexor strain & tendonitis...he took at least one, iirc 2, cortisone shots to the elbow during the season), and that's a big reason why he was contemplating retirement.

 

Why no mutual option for the second year?

 

I don't think that Andy Pettitte at this point in his career is better than Jon Garland.

 

Exactly. This whole "he'll decline it if he gets hurt" line smells quite fishy.

 

Hugs and Kisses,
Jeff Bagwell


I love Jeff Bagwell but he should have retired last year and not made it so damn hard on us. He's still my favorite player of all time though.