maybe i'm unfairly coming after you, pgabriel...but there are a slew of astro/mclane critics that post here, and i tend to lump them all together...because in their eyes, the astros never, ever do enough...they'll criticize if they sign a player, or if they don't...your earlier comments today put you further into that category than i thought you were previously. so you're on the receiving end of my posts right now, though you're certainly not the only one they're directed at.
and no one has mentioned that he's left handed. We haven't had a solid lefty since 98. Wedge him between Oswalt and Miller and it's a very nice combination.
Not much we don't already know here: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory2/2285901 The asshats on WFAN (Mike & Maddog?) are basically downplaying the whole affair, acting non-chalant & expecting AP to return to the Yanks. They just did a 5 minute discussion of the chron piece with some reporter & mentioned the 3 yr-$30M offer several times, mentioned "significant hometown discount" several times, yet never once mentioned the differing tax structures in NY vs. Texas. Morons.
this from the Chronicle article: Pettitte, 31, would join Roy Oswalt and Wade Miller to make the front three of the Astros’ starting rotation as strong as any in baseball. During nine seasons with the Yankees, he has won 149 games and is coming off a season in which he went 21-8 with a 4.02 ERA. The Yankees were 23-10 in his 33 starts. He won 17 of his last 20 decisions. He’s the first pitcher in the post-expansion era to win at least 12 games in each of his first nine seasons. He 13-8 in 30 postseason starts. The Astros were considered longshots when Pettitte became a free agent. He’d said his preference was to remain with the Yankees. With 149 victories, he’s ninth on the Yankees’ all-time victory list and appeared on his way to being remembered as one of the franchise’s all-time greats.
Look, this is the last thing I'll say, In the thread about Billy Wagner (I believe) you made the point the Marlins won the World Series with a similar payroll that the Astros have. I made the point that the Marlins don't have most of that money tied up in a few players. The Astros get to caught up in giving out big contracts to hometown guys and or guys like Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell, so they can retire here. I don't give a flip who plays here as long as you win. So if you're going to set a budget, don't sign guys for reasons other than they fill in at need positions, and they are worth what you pay them. You can't have it both ways. Now, honestly, I have always been mystified at the hype behind Andy Pettitte. Do people honestly think he would have as many wins playing for a team not as good as the Yankees? I just don't get it, and it didn't start with him talking to the Astros.
a couple things to consider about his era: 1) the yankees have been one of the worst defensive teams over the past few year, which has inflated his era 2) he played in the american league (think dh) in the same division as the redsox and bluejays 3) he has a very good k/walk ratio. and a better k/ip ratio than colon or millwood, indicating continued future success.
Dan Patrick said on his show that there are reports that Pettite is in Houston for a physical and that the announcement could come as early as Friday.
Sorry if you have all seen this, I just pulled up chron.com, and this is what they are reporting: Dec. 10, 2003, 3:34PM Report: Free agent Pettitte on verge of deal with Astros By RICHARD JUSTICE Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle RESOURCES AUDIO Richard Justice: • Pettitte on verge of deal with Astros Requires the free RealPlayer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ANDY PETTITTE Pitcher Age: 31 Date of birth: June 15, 1972 Place of birth: Baton Rouge, LA HT: 6-5 WT: 225 Bats/Throws: L/L Salary: $11,500,000 MLB Seasons: 8 Drafted: NY Yankees in 1991 (22nd round). CAREER STATS • Pettitte's numbers -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- • SOUNDING BOARD: Fans' opinions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SPORTS POLL Should the Astros sign Andy Pettitte? Yes. He'll be worth the money: 84% No. Astros can't afford big contract: 16% Total Votes: 10590 Free agent lefthander Andy Pettitte, one of baseball’s winningest pitchers, is on the verge of an agreement with the Astros, industry sources said today. The sources cautioned that some details remained to be worked out and that the deal still could fall apart if the New York Yankees made a last-ditch effort to re-sign Pettitte. Pettitte has already passed a physical, and Astros owner Drayton McLane and agents Randy and Alan Hendricks are attempting to complete the deal within 24 hours, sources said. Barring a snag, Pettitte would give the Astros the kind of bona fide No. 1 starting pitcher they haven’t had in several years. His departure would be a blow for the Yankees, who had said re-signing him was their No. 1 off season priority. Pettitte, 31, would join Roy Oswalt and Wade Miller to make the front three of the Astros’ starting rotation as strong as any in baseball. During nine seasons with the Yankees, he has won 149 games and is coming off a season in which he went 21-8 with a 4.02 ERA. The Yankees were 23-10 in his 33 starts. He won 17 of his last 20 decisions. He’s the first pitcher in the post-expansion era to win at least 12 games in each of his first nine seasons. He 13-8 in 30 postseason starts. The Astros were considered longshots when Pettitte became a free agent. He’d said his preference was to remain with the Yankees. With 149 victories, he’s ninth on the Yankees’ all-time victory list and appeared on his way to being remembered as one of the franchise’s all-time greats. However, it appears the club never budged much from its original offer of around $30 million over three years. Pettitte’s father, Tom, told the New York Times on Tuesday that the family was frustrated by the Yankees’ seeming disinterest in signing Pettitte. Meanwhile, the Astros began courting him almost from the moment he became a free agent and quickly laid out the parameters of their offer. Ironically, the signing of Pettitte comes a few weeks after the Astros traded closer Billy Wagner. At the time of that deal, they said they could no longer afford his $8 million salary. Now, they’re poised to add a player expected to make even more than that next season
Report: Free agent Pettitte on verge of deal with Astros By RICHARD JUSTICE Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Free agent lefthander Andy Pettitte, one of baseball’s winningest pitchers, is on the verge of an agreement with the Astros, industry sources said today. The sources cautioned that some details remained to be worked out and that the deal still could fall apart if the New York Yankees made a last-ditch effort to re-sign Pettitte. Pettitte has already passed a physical, and Astros owner Drayton McLane and agents Randy and Alan Hendricks are attempting to complete the deal within 24 hours, sources said. Barring a snag, Pettitte would give the Astros the kind of bona fide No. 1 starting pitcher they haven’t had in several years. His departure would be a blow for the Yankees, who had said re-signing him was their No. 1 off season priority. Pettitte, 31, would join Roy Oswalt and Wade Miller to make the front three of the Astros’ starting rotation as strong as any in baseball. During nine seasons with the Yankees, he has won 149 games and is coming off a season in which he went 21-8 with a 4.02 ERA. The Yankees were 23-10 in his 33 starts. He won 17 of his last 20 decisions. He’s the first pitcher in the post-expansion era to win at least 12 games in each of his first nine seasons. He 13-8 in 30 postseason starts. The Astros were considered longshots when Pettitte became a free agent. He’d said his preference was to remain with the Yankees. With 149 victories, he’s ninth on the Yankees’ all-time victory list and appeared on his way to being remembered as one of the franchise’s all-time greats. However, it appears the club never budged much from its original offer of around $30 million over three years. Pettitte’s father, Tom, told the New York Times on Tuesday that the family was frustrated by the Yankees’ seeming disinterest in signing Pettitte. Meanwhile, the Astros began courting him almost from the moment he became a free agent and quickly laid out the parameters of their offer. Ironically, the signing of Pettitte comes a few weeks after the Astros traded closer Billy Wagner. At the time of that deal, they said they could no longer afford his $8 million salary. Now, they’re poised to add a player expected to make even more than that next season.
