Via Dan Graziano:
Thursday’s activity for Brian Cashman started early, as he left in the morning before the start of the Rule 5 draft so he could pay a visit to Andy Pettitte and resolve that situation once and for all. The Yankees want Pettitte to know they have a spot for him, but that the spot won’t be there forever. They’ve offered him $10 million for one year – a pay cut of $6 million from his 2008 salary – and so far he hasn’t accepted it. If he doesn’t accept it now, the Yankees are prepared to move on and offer that final rotation spot to someone else, such as Ben Sheets or Randy Wolf.
Pettitte loves being with the Yankees. And, he really wants to pitch in the new Stadium. In fact, since the Yankees open 2009 on the road, Andy has a shot – should he re-sign with the team – to be the man who started the last game in the old Stadium and the man who starts the first game in the new Stadium.
But, I just don’t see Pettitte taking a 38% pay cut – no matter how much he likes the Yankees, etc. Perhaps, maybe, he would take a 20% cut? In fact, if the Yankees offered a 20% cut and Andy turned it down, I would say shame on Pettitte (and not on the Yankees).
If the Yankees are going to hold the line, hard, as this report suggests, at $10 million, basically, they’re telling Andy that they really don’t want him on the team.
That’s a shame. If the Yankees would add another $2 or $3 million to their offer, I’m sure that Pettitte would take it.
9 Responses to “Yanks Draw Line In The Sand For Pettitte”
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December 11th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
couldn’t agree with you more here steve. is andy pettitte a $16 million pitcher? no. but is cc sabathia a $23 million pitcher? again no. sabathia got paid what he got paid because it’s slightly more than what santana got paid. it’s not logical, but that’s how baseball contracts work. andy pettitte is probably a fair pay at like $8 million, but since he got $16 last year, AND is willing to do a one year deal (big), he’s not going to take a $6 mil paycut. he could easily get another team to go 2/$20+. this deal makes a ton of sense for the yankees because pettitte is a reliable innings guy of average or better production, on a one year deal. the last part is the biggest. it’s not my money, but to grapple over a few mil with him, when it makes this much sense, while throwing however much they are at a guy like burnett, just doesn’t make any sense to me. find a middle ground that’s fair at 1/$12-14.
December 11th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Pettitte is an admitted cheat with a history of arm problems who stunk up the league the second half of last season. I’d offer him $5 million and tell him if he doesn’t like it he can go screw.
December 11th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
The Andy Pettitte dilemma is certainly a tough nut to crack.
On the one hand, Pettitte has long been a (relatively) loyal Yankee, has won many big games, and can still pitch decently well.
On the other hand, the Yankees have given Pettitte everything he wants, stood by him during the steroid controversy, and have overpaid him for his services recently.
Now, Pettitte is not worth 16 million. However for one season this not completely unreasonable. But do the Yankees owe Pettitte or does Pettitte owe the Yankees? Should the Yankees just say “fuck it, it’s only one year. What’s another 4-5 million?” Or should the Yankees say “we can find someone else out there for the same price who is just as good or better than Pettitte.”
The problem is that the Yankees do not want to continually overpay players just because they can. There is no way Pettitte should be paid 16 mil, and if he were still in Houston he wouldn’t dare ask for that. Personally, I say fuck it and give him one year at whatever cost. One year of Pettitte is better than any years (much less 4) of Derek Lowe.
What scares me most about Graziano’s article is:
“If he doesn’t accept it now, the Yankees are prepared to move on and offer that final rotation spot to someone else, such as Ben Sheets or Randy Wolf.”
That’s like saying “If the Yankees can’t resign Derek Jeter they will look to either Rafael Furcal or Omar Vizquel.”
How are Sheets and Wolf even comparable? Sure, Sheets gets hurt a lot, but Randy Wolf would probably have better numbers if he got hurt and didn’t have to throw a baseball.
December 11th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Pennywise and pound foolish. The inmates want to give that soft always injured jerk Burnett 85 guaranteed for 5 years and Pettitte is not even given 16 for one? If they sign Burnett they can go screw themselves,because they will be screwing up the team with a guy who will make Pavano feel like a memory. But Pettitte? With the exception of last year, he’s always come through for this team with certain exceptions. What has Burnett done? Take away Boston and NY and AJerk has a 5 ERA! Whatta joke this off season is. They need hitting ,but go for overrated 10 cent brainers like Burnett, but Pettitte who is a Yankee through and through is nickel and dimed. Third place will look good again this again……..
December 11th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
the years of (relative) mutual loyalty make it a sticky situation.
in the end, pettitte’s postseason resume should be good enough for another $2-$3 million.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
My question would be, what incentive to the Yankees have for raising their offer?
Andy has more or less said, he’ll retire if he doesn’t sign with New York, so why should they bid against themselves for a 37-year-old with a history of elbow issues?
Yes, they were bidding against themselves to a degree with the Sabathia deal, but that’s an entirely different circumstance.
We should all be so insulted by a $10 million offer.
December 12th, 2008 at 12:29 am
My question would be, what incentive to the Yankees have for raising their offer?
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if i were the yankees, my incentive would be that i would get pettite for 1 year or lowe/burnett for 4/5+ years for the same money. All i hear about on this blog is the need for roster flexibility…this is a good chance to gain such that. Also, theres an old saying goes somethin like “better to choose the devil you know rather then the devil you don’t”
December 12th, 2008 at 11:18 am
i still believe that if Pettitte is the best option for the last spot in the rotation, money shouldnt be an option.
but if the yankees feel like there are other options on the market who can perform at a higher level than Pettitte can, then they should pursue those options first and/or make a reasonable offer for Pettitte.
apparently there was a newspaper article this morning, i think in the Post, where an executive was surprised Pettitte turned down the $10 million, because in this market, they dont think he’s worth more than $8 million…. so the $10 million already includes the “we love you andy” tax.
December 12th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
why dont they split the dif?
13 mill and everyones happy
hes worth way more than 8 mill. thats a joke. they paid pavano 10 last yr! they pay igawa 5!!!