Pettitte wins Pitcher of the Month award 08/03/2005 5:52 PM ET By Ben Couch / Special to MLB.com Houston's Andy Pettitte, who led the National League with five wins last month, was voted Wednesday as the NL Pitcher of the Month of July. "He's in a very good groove," Astros manager Phil Garner said July 25. "Not only is he throwing confidently, I think he's getting the pitches where he wants to." Pettitte didn't lose once in six starts during July, posting a 5-0 record. He allowed 32 hits and seven runs (four earned), struck out 31 batters and walked 10 in 40 innings. Pettitte's 0.90 ERA was the second-lowest in the NL among starters and was the best such number he produced in any calendar month during his career. During Pettitte's prolific stretch, the Astros surged to a 22-7 record, equaling a club record for wins in a month and taking over the lead in the NL Wild Card standings. "When you look at it, this is the same team that started out 4-30," Pettitte said after beating the Phillies on July 30. "You're just like, what happened? But to tell you the truth, the whole time, even when we were playing as badly as we were, I'm like, 'We've got one of the best pitching staffs in the league. Come on. This team should win.' "Coming from New York, [I know] pitching wins. That's how you look at it. We're starting to win now, and we're still pitching very well." And with Pettitte pitching better than any other player in the National League, they should continue to win. Pettitte beat out teammate Roy Oswalt (4-1, 2.03 ERA, 36 strikeouts), St. Louis ace Chris Carpenter (4-0, 1.11 ERA, 33 strikeouts) and Atlanta's John Smoltz (4-0, 2.45 ERA, 29 strikeouts) to win the award. http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASAp...t_id=1156168&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou
In case anyone was wondering, the lowest ERA among starters was held by Zach Duke, with an 0.87 ERA in the month of July.
Having him this year is the ONE reason why I'd be more psyched about the playoffs. He is the DEFINITION of big-game pitcher. The guy always showed up come October... and this year, its scary to think how well he would do if he "elevated" his performance. Call me crazy, but I think he becomes our ace if/when we make it to the playoffs... he's always performed better than Clemens did in October, and hopefully Roy won't tire out at the end of this year like he did last year. We're still going to need offense and I have confidence that Berkman will backup his stellar 2004 playoff run (which got overlooked, thanks to Beltran) and we'll get just enough.
I agree. A lot of people have said his success in big games was only because he was on the Yankees... but they have had countless other big name pitchers that didn't do nearly as well as Pettitte come October. Quality left handers are so hard to come by, and in the playoffs they are even more important then ever... and he has always stepped up to the challenge in the cooler months. Either way I don't think Pettitte gets the credit he deserves and never really has, even when he was in NYC. If he played a full career (to the age of 40-42) he could easily be a first ballot hall of famer, but he won't play that long (his words). He reached 100 wins faster then any other pitcher in the modern era but I only see Pettitte playing another 4-5 years at the most. I think he's going to be a cornerstone in our rotation that is going to get us to the Series by the time he retires and hopefully sooner rather then later.
We have one hell of a great pitching staff. I love our rotation, hell....even the dang rookies are throwing some good games. Pued, that's amazing. I didn't know it was that close. Any idea when that ERA was set? (I mean when the player made that record)
oh, that wasn't a record - that was last month. Zach Duke had a 0.87 ERA over 31 innings, Andy had a 0.90 ERA over 40.
I still wonder what woud have happened had we had Pettitte last year. I think we could of beat the Card's if our rotation was set up poroperly like theirs was when the series began. If we're in the playoffs again, we need to ge out of the 1st round as soon as possible. No wasting time in round 1 again.
I love Andy Pettitte for everything he did for the Yankees during the dynasty run. But he does not become a superior pitcher in the postseason like David Wells or El Duque. Now, when you really need a win, he'll usually get it. But he's basically the same guy in October as he is in the regular season. Who, don't get me wrong, is a wonderful pitcher to have.
The first thing I thought of when I read the earlier point was El Duque. However, I wouldn't say Pettitte isn't a great big games pitcher, based on the record alone. Perhaps his WHIP and ERA+ and RP and whatever else the rotogeeks can run out there are similar to his regular season numbers, but the bottom line is: when it was October and AP was on the mound (IIRC), the Yankees won.
I don't look at him as a big game pitcher either, but to be honest, I just wanted the yankees to lose, so I've really got nothing but an opinion here. I'll be interested to see it for myself in October.
The guy was totally lights out in the 2003 playoffs (the last time he pitched in October)... especially in the World Series. He's pitched in more World Series games than any other active pitcher out there... I'll take that experience over the tough AL any day.
