When did he offer to pitch for the Astros for less than what the Yanks offered in 07??? He announced he wouldn't make a decision on whether he would play or not until December 06. The Astros felt like they couldn't wait that long, because if they lost him they'd be stuck with no one. So they tried to deal for Garland. It fell through. Then all of a sudden Andy says, "i'm pitching." But ESPN reports immediately it's a one-team race....the Yanks. And contemporaneous to that, the Astros make the Jennings trade to try to get some certainty about the rotation. That turned out to be a bad trade, no doubt. Andy subsequently told us that God told him to go to New York. I have zero recollection of Andy suggesting he would play for the Astros for less than he would play for the Yanks in 07.
Both the Astros and Pettitte said that he offered to play for the Astros for $2MM/yr less than the Yankees, and both parties said the Astros were not interested (due to the 2nd year player option).
then it's kinda silly to say he would play for less here when one is talking about a one-year deal and the other is talking about a 2 year deal.
But he DID agree to play for less here. Not $20MM less, but $4MM less. Contract from the Yankess: $16MM, $16MM Player Option Contract from the Astros: $14MM, $14MM Player Option By any standard, that's less.
I thought we didn't give him a player option. I thought the Astros were only interested in giving him a one year deal.
That's correct. But the question is whether Pettitte offered to play for the Astros for less than the Yankees offered - he did. The Astros simply weren't interested. That was the Astros' mistake, though as it turned out, we weren't a #2 pitcher away from the playoffs last year so it wouldn't have matter anyway.
Astros fans being bitter about Pettittte is stupid. About Clemens is pointless but I can at least understand it. Pettitte is one of the most loyal players in the game though and has shown it's not about the money to him above all else. Back track to the end of the 2003 season. he wanted to stay with the Yankees very badly, but they let him hit the market. The Astros offered him a good deal and the Sox offered him the best deal of all teams. He said he wouldn't sign with the sox because he couldn't do it to the fans in New York. He then made a handshake agreement with Drayton. Enter the Yankees. They topped the offer that he had verbally agreed to with the Astros but he said he couldn't take it because he had already committed to the Stros. No deal was signed, but he was a man of his word. Go through last year. A big time family man, HUGE family man, wasn't sure he wanted to play anymore and needed extra time. He wanted a one year deal with a player option and said if he wasn't healthy he wouldn't pick up the option. He offered the Stros a slight discount off the deal the Yankees offered to stay in Houston to be near his family. The Astros were convinced (and so was Pallilo) that he would take that option no matter what and could screw the Stros, so they refused to give it to him. He pitches outstanding for the Yankees save for one bad stretch and is healthy. But he's not sure he wants to play. He declines his option but says that he will only play for the Yankees because he committed that to them when he signed the deal. Pettitte is a class guy who is a very rare breed in the sport who cares more about his honor and integrity then his salary.
Ok, I hear ya. And I'm not commenting on whether it was good or not....in retrospect, I'd like to have Andy around. But God told him to go to NY.
This I would disagree with. When he left the Yanks it was about money. He told us all he felt hurt. When he left the 'stros, it was about money. He told us all he felt hurt.
Was this the same god that told GW Bush to invade Iraq? Sorry if this get the thread moved to the D & D.
Yeah - I think it was exactly the opposite. He's very sensitive and wants to feel important. The Astros provided that in 2004. The Yankees provided that in 2007.
