Kat O’Brien raises the question.
Andy Pettitte will be 37-years old next season. And, at this moment, he’s having his worst season in the majors since 1999. Statistically speaking, Pettitte has been barely average this year – in terms of his performance on the mound.
For what it’s worth, in his first 22 starts this season, Pettitte had an ERA of 3.76 (in 139 IP). Then he got beat up in two starts – allowing 14 earned runs in 10.3 IP. That was followed by a report saying he had a stiff pitching arm. And, since that report came out, he’s made 5 starts with an ERA of 5.34 (in 32 IP). So, maybe Pettitte has been pitching hurt for the last month and that’s killed his season stats?
Bottom line, the Yankees will probably need Andy Pettitte in the rotation next season – even if he is just a league-average pitcher. What other established starters do they have, now, for 2009? Wang and….?
But, if I’m New York, I would not allow Andy to play that “I’m trying to decide if I want to retire” game this off-season. He needs to let the team know, before the end of this calendar year, if he’s coming back or not – and sooner, if possible. Because, if he’s on the fence about it, the Yankees need to move on and get someone else.
2 Responses to “What To Do With Pettitte Next Season?”
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September 5th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
But, if I’m New York, I would not allow Andy to play that “I’m trying to decide if I want to retire” game this off-season…Because, if he’s on the fence about it, the Yankees need to move on and get someone else.
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Don’t agree. Why does his timing matter? If Hank Steinbrenner is to be believed, the Yanks will make a full-out push for CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets. Regardless of whether or not I think that’s an intelligent course of action, the team’s decision to pursue those guys doesn’t hing on Pettitte’s decision to come back.
Frankly, considering the fact that you wanted the team to sign Kyle Lohse last year, I don’t see why you’d be opposed to the Yanks potentially treating Pettitte as that 6th/7th starter (after they get Sabathia/Sheets, and to go with Wang, Hughes, and whoever else).
September 5th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
My recommendation on Lohse was to have him for insurance; and, if you didn’t need him, then you could have stuck him in the pen as a long man – or traded him at the end of Spring Training.
You really think the Yankees would bring in Pettitte, as insurance, and then stick him in the pen or trade him if he’s not needed? Really?