Looks like one year of retirement is long enough for Andy Pettitte. The Yankees signed him to a 1 year minor league contract, he makes $2.5 million if he makes the big team. I get the feeling he will. According to ESPN the Yankees wanted Pettitte to sign earlier this year, but he wasn’t ready to commit. Then he came to camp as a special instructor and had very good stuff. So, Pettitte still had the itch to pitch, the Yankees wanted him, his family approved, it just made sense for all parties involved.
In 2010, his last year playing Pettitte went 11 and 3 with 129 innings pitched, with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.27. Not bad numbers at all. Sure Pettitte is getting older but as Jamie Moyer has shown these days with pitchers age is just a number. Truthfully, Pettitte who has a lifetime record of 240 and 138, is a better pitcher than Moyer ever was. Heck, Pettitte is going to be a borderline hall of famer, especially if the voters look at his post season numbers.
Yes, the Yankees have a lot of starters now. But in today’s game where injuries are so common that is not a bad thing. And yes, no way Pettitte goes more than six innings, but in today’s game six innings is all they expect out of most starters. (That is kind of sad really.) The only two locks in the Yankees rotation are CC in the top spot and Pineda following him. Ivan Nova had a great year last year, but he’s not a proven starter. Phil Hughes had a great 2010 but not such a good 2011. Hiroki Kuroda has had a solid career (actually two), but no idea how he will fare in the AL East. This is a good signing for the Yankees.
As for the Mets, oh they lost 9-0 today. Sigh.
