Pettitte’s pursuit of perfection (with audio)
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc, Podcast on Aug 31, 2009 
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Here are two clubhouse anecdotes that reveal something about the character of Andy Pettitte and Jerry Hairston Jr.
Pettitte did not expect to throw a perfect game or even a no-hitter. Until tonight, he had never thrown more than 4.2 perfect innings to start a game. So when Hairston let that grounder get through him in the seventh inning, Pettitte wasn’t too upset.
“I wasn’t too, too excited yet,” he said. “I had a lot of outs to get.”
Afterward, he saw a despondent Hairston walking around the clubhouse with his head down. Pettitte hugged him and said he didn’t want to go nine innings anyway.
“That’s the way Andy is,” Jorge Posada said. “He makes you feel better every time.”
As for Hairston, he literally waved the media over to his locker. He knew he had questions to answer and he stood there and answered every one of them. That couldn’t have been an easy thing to do.
“No excuses,” he said. “I just missed it. … “There are 750 guys in the majors. Nobody feels worse than me tonight.”
It would have been interesting to see if Pettitte could have held on. He has not gone nine innings since Aug. 16, 2006 when he was with Houston. But his pitch count was reasonable and he had four pitches working, particularly his curve and change.
Ultimately what matters is that the Yankees won. Pettitte is 4-1 with a 2.56 ERA since the break and is averaging 6.2 innings per start. At 37, he is better than anybody expected this season. Right now, Pettitte is the second-best starter in the rotation and it’s not even close.
He also is cashing in. Today was his 151st day on the roster and he has pitched 167.1 innings. That durability has earned him $1.7 million in roster and performance bonuses. If he gets to 190 innings, which seems certain, Pettitte will get another $2 million.
Meanwhile, he now has 190 wins as a Yankee. Only Whitey Ford (236) and Red Ruffing (231) have more. Pettitte is 26-6 against the Orioles in his career. Only Ford (30) has more victories against Baltimore.
Here is Andy talking about what might have been:
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Thanks to everybody for reading tonight. That was fun to watch. It sure would have been a challenge to write something worthy of a perfect game.
heyman- garland to dodgers likely to get done
It’s all good Jerry, you have been a great bench player since you got here, keep that head up.
Glad to hear Pettitte was a good guy …. not surprising. Really good to know Hairston is a stand up guy as well. He’s been a good addition to the team and could turn out to be an important piece of the post season.
It kind of sucks. If Andy would have gotten perfection his Cooperstown debate would have gone from debate status to no doubter.
Oh well, as long as we keep on keepin’ on…
From what Jerry Hairston was saying on the postgame–how all the teammates told him to keep his chin up–that tells you about the character of the Yankees as a team.
Despite his blunder, Hairston has really grown on me in his short time while on the Yankees.
And Pettitte…it would have been wonderful to see it, and the way this season is going, it would have been fitting.
Which brings me to this:
The Yankees are 35 over .500 with a month to go. 40 over .500 is only improving by five more games–but 40 games over .500 also means 106 (!!!) wins.
Anyone think the Yankees can do it?
the only mystery is who gets called up Tuesday.
I predict; cervelli, pena, Duncan, Melancon, abeledajo, 1 other pitcher, and a few more to come..
bruney is a piece of work, walks the leadoff guy up by 5, he has no control.. the only really really reliable pen guys are hughes and mo, the rest are ??????
Marte in his 3 or so appearances give you reaso nto hope but way to early on him also…
The way the Yankee dugout rallied behind Hairston speaks volumns about this club……This is the best Yankee team since the 2003 squad…..The pitching maybe a little less, however the lineup is deeper and the bench is close…Pen is better due to the Hughes factor……Bruney is needed as he’s a swing and miss arm…..That’s a big edge in October……
It kind of sucks. If Andy would have gotten perfection his Cooperstown debate would have gone from debate status to no doubter.
Oh well, as long as we keep on keepin’ on…
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yes cause throwing a perfect game means automatic HOF induction!!!!!
i think the yanks schedule the rest of the way is pretty easy.. I say they finish with 103 wins for the year and win the division by 7 games…………
the only mystery is who gets called up Tuesday.
I predict; cervelli, pena, Duncan, Melancon, abeledajo, 1 other pitcher, and a few more to come..
bruney is a piece of work, walks the leadoff guy up by 5, he has no control.. the only really really reliable pen guys are hughes and mo, the rest are ??????
Marte in his 3 or so appearances give you reaso nto hope but way to early on him also…
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per heyman: calling up pena, cervelli, melancon and dunn tomorrow
pettitte will not make cooperstown but he has been real solid for a real long time…
Actually 40 games over is 101-61
50 games over is 106-56
Thome traded to the Dodgers, per MLBTR
thome traded…not sure where
or rather, per Heyman
“yes cause throwing a perfect game means automatic HOF induction!!!!!”
In addition to his career…I would say yes.
!! Thome traded?!
Is he just going to pinch hit?
odd trade for la
“pettitte will not make cooperstown but he has been real solid for a real long time…”
Really. Where is that written?
What the hell are they going to do with Thome?
A big bat off the bench?
his career, while nice, is not HOH worthy even with a PG
The not make Cooperstown part, actually.
Pitching a perfect game would not have had much of an influence on whether Pettitte gets to the Hall of Fame or not.
Cooperstown is all about career numbers – not about career days – no matter how rare they are.
Thome going to the Dodgers !
backbench…commonsense.com
Bold move
contreras to rockies per mlbtr
Also get Garland Dodgers.
Rockies got Contreras….wow
Well, he’s not going to displace Loney at 1B or Manny, Kemp, Ethier in the OF…
So I guess he is just a very expensive pinch hitter.
some strange moves!!!
Are the Dodgers trying to make this a reunion of Manny and Thome Cleveland Indians.
Dodgers are piecing together a team ….. they usually just look like guys playing more than a team. Playing in a weak division has really helped them.
Dodgers are set up perfectly for an AL team in the World series. What other team has a big bat like Thome they can just plug into the DH?
Thome is a pretty expensive pinch-hitter.
Seems like a waste to me since he wouldn’t be all that useful to them until the middle three games of the World Series if they make it that far.
What are the Rockies going to do with Contreras. The guy sucks !
Are the Dodgers trying to make this a reunion of Manny and Thome Cleveland Indians.
==============
They picked up Belliard as well.
Dodgers are loaded. They have become favorites again in the NL. They are more loaded than STL now.
and now rockies get contreras?!?! In what world does that make sense?!
Seems like a waste to me since he wouldn’t be all that useful to them until the middle three games of the World Series if they make it that far.
———-
Oops, I mean the first two games and last two games of the World Series.
Lots of activity in the NL West – Rockies get Contreras, Giants get Penny, Dodgers get Thome, Garland, Belliard.
this is one of the most active aug 31st trade deadlines i remember
He wont just be pinch hitting they will have to play him at first base, no?
strange strange move.
…commonsense.com
Sorry. Forgot about the Mitchell Report.
Kenny Williams cleaning out the attic tonight?
Compliments to Girardi for the all for one; one for all attitude in the clubhouse.
Yikes Jose in Colorado.
Thome hasn’t played the field in 3 years. I’m sure he could, but Loney is a very good 2-way 1B. Do you really want him out of the lineup?
Talk about an awkward fit.
“Oops, I mean the first two games and last two games of the World Series.”
There won’t be games 6 and 7.
Typical Torre the dodgers will collapse in the first round.
Remember when people were saying as recently as Friday about how dangerous the Chi Sox were and how they didn’t want to face them in October? lol
They waive the white flag 3 days later and put all their vets on the block.
Cotton-Eyed Joe played in Reno…the spell is broken…
Yanks 172
September 1st, 2009 at 12:18 am
Dodgers are loaded. They have become favorites again in the NL. They are more loaded than STL now.
Yes, with AL cast-offs! All flawed.
Thome will be about as relevant the rest of the season as Matsui was during Interleague play for those nine games in NL parks.
I get wanting to add some power and experience to your bench. But he’s only going to provide one at-bat per game.
That’s a pretty expensive pinch-hitter.
I’m a bit surprised at how much the Dodgers added. They really must be worried about their club falling apart coming down the stretch to add this much on the deadline.
I am also kind of wondering where Ozzy will be heading.
Dodger pitching is really shaky ….. guess they figure adding bats will make up for the bullpen. Broxton has been coughing it up lately.
Jerry Hairston is a class act. He is human… I really dig how the team got behind him, especially Andy… This team rocks!!!
Yeah, the Dodgers acquire an expensive pinch hitter and a mediocre #5 starter and now they are the team to beat lol
The Dodgers have now become the favorites once again. The only team that can stand in their way now is the Cardinals.
Backbench September 1st, 2009 at 12:22 am
“Oops, I mean the first two games and last two games of the World Series.”
There won’t be games 6 and 7.
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Sure about that?
We all know that the AL is the far superior league. There’s no question about it.
But we’ve seen a few NL teams win the World Series in recent years, including last year and 2006.
Dodgers just added quite a few DH’s …. did Joe T. forget he is in the NL? Kind of funny, my Dodger fan friends are complaining about pitchers getting burned out, different line ups, etc. I just look at them.
Favorites in terms of making it to the World Series.
White Sox won VERY BIG b/c they dumped an aging DH and a washed up pitcher plus whatever $$ are involved.
Who has LA given up to get all these people today?
The ChiSox were supposed to be a dangerous team when they acquired Rios and Peavy.
Things didn’t exactly turn out that way.
A pinch hitter and a mediocre starter doesn’t really improve the Dodgers all that much.
Frank from Chatham September 1st, 2009 at 12:28 am
White Sox won VERY BIG b/c they dumped an aging DH and a washed up pitcher plus whatever $$ are involved.
————–
Yeah, but that cash is a drop in the bucket compared to the $100M they added the last few weeks with Peavy and Rios – and getting no return on those additions whatsoever.
This is retaliation for Colorado adding Giambi
You know deep down Andy is very upset. He was locked in pitching great and on his way to make history. And his third basemen could not make a play on a routine groundball. If that was A-Rod everybody would be killing him.
John Kruk said that the Dodgers did this to block the Giants from getting him and putting him at 1st base.
Pettitte has a good shot at the HOF if they let Schilling in.
Thome’s still owed about 2 mil.
Ozzie just signed a 4 yr contract so it’s a tough one to eat but he said it himself that he’s 100% to blame.
Kenny Williams strikes me as the type of guy who thought it was a great idea to put hotels on Baltic Avenue.
The thing is Schilling has more on his resume and more aura around him
He took 2 different teams to the WS
He is the best postseason pitcher of all time.
And his effort in game 6 of the 04 ALCS with a bloody foot was one of the most courageous things in baseball history
If Pettitte never went to Houston for those three years, and stayed in New York, he would probably have ended up with the most wins in Yankee history.
Schilling is not the best postseason pitcher of all time. There have been a whole bunch of pitchers who have performed well in this game.
Sounds like a Red Sox homer making those claims.
Kruk must be high, The Giants would have had first shot at Thome before the Dodgers did…..Isn’t this Thome’s walk year ??? As for the Dodger bullpen being taxed, L.A. lost two front of the rotation starters……LA is the most balanced team in the NL…..Sherril & Broxton are quite a bullpen, plus their bench just recieved a major shot in the arm…..LA NY World Series
Alias September 1st, 2009 at 12:40 am
If Pettitte never went to Houston for those three years, and stayed in New York, he would probably have ended up with the most wins in Yankee history.
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Very true.
I also believe 2004 would have ended differently with Pettitte in pinstripes but I won’t go there.
Bronx Jeers September 1st, 2009 at 12:38 am
Thome’s still owed about 2 mil.
Ozzie just signed a 4 yr contract so it’s a tough one to eat but he said it himself that he’s 100% to blame.
Kenny Williams strikes me as the type of guy who thought it was a great idea to put hotels on Baltic Avenue.
LOVED your thinking. Perfect! LOL
Alias, you are correct. If he is here next year, his numbers should exceed Whitey’s, assuming his wins in Houston would have been equalled or exceeded had he worn Pinstripes for those three years.
Kenny Williams is a riverboat gambler. Sometimes his moves work, sometimes they don’t.
You have to take risks in this game
Washburn ERA with DET, 6.81.
Good call by Cash to stay away.
The Bloody sock by Schilling was a farce. He used some food coloring.
Kirk, You got off at the wrong floor…..This is the Yankee Penthouse….The Boston Red Sox are a few floors down…..Like 7 floors down…..or is that 6.5
I felt both Andy and the Yankees failed to handle the situation properly in 04 and that Andy would rue the day well into the future…..had he stayed, his chances of ending up in the HOF as the All-time Yankee leader in wins could not be dismissed.
Kirk
September 1st, 2009 at 12:40 am
The thing is Schilling has more on his resume and more aura around him
He took 2 different teams to the WS
He is the best postseason pitcher of all time.
And his effort in game 6 of the 04 ALCS with a bloody foot was one of the most courageous things in baseball history
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You’ve apparently forgot that baseball exists outside of Boston. I realize that people find that hard to believe but, it’s true. It barely existed in Boston before 2004.
Have you seen these numbers before? Keep in mind that this is WS only. 7-2 record, 1.89 ERA, 8 complete games in 9 games, 2 shutouts, 17 walks, 93 strikeouts.
Don’t run into Bob Gibson in an alley at night. He’ll cut out your pimp’s heart.
If Andy was with the Team in 2004 the Yankees would have went to the world series. Andy pitching game 7 ALCS instead of Kevin Brown- the Yankees would have won.
If you ask Manny, he will tell you it was food coloring.
Those Gibson numbers are simply ridiculous.
It would be tough to duplicate that on your PS3 or XBox.
Torro September 1st, 2009 at 12:46 am
Kenny Williams is a riverboat gambler. Sometimes his moves work, sometimes they don’t.
You have to take risks in this game
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Well he just went all in with the bosses money and lost.
Jeremy
September 1st, 2009 at 12:51 am
If Andy was with the Team in 2004 the Yankees would have went to the world series. Andy pitching game 7 ALCS instead of Kevin Brown- the Yankees would have won.
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No they wouldn’t. Pettitte went on the DL in June for elbow surgery and missed the rest of the year.
Shilling couldn’t wear Gibson’s sock.
The problem with making stupid comments about history is that it stretches back a long way, like you know, before 2004. I guess he is a Sawx fan, making that statement on a post that mentions Whitey Ford. The thing about “aura” is that it takes a while to get into the HoF and aura fades. Schilling was not the ace of either team he “lead” to the WS. Johnson is a lock and I like Pedro for it.
Can’t comepare Gibson to Schilling… 2 different eras.
That’s like saying Joba should pitch 270 innings because the greats of the 1960s and 70s did.
Pat M. September 1st, 2009 at 12:49 am
Kirk, You got off at the wrong floor…..This is the Yankee Penthouse….The Boston Red Sox are a few floors down…..Like 7 floors down…..or is that 6.5
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LMAO
Goodnight all.
GB, Good call…..And how many World Series games did Whitey Foed win 10, he also had 33 consecutive shutout innings until some guy by the name of Rivera came along………BOSTON, Scranton with clams
Giuseppe Franco
September 1st, 2009 at 12:53 am
Those Gibson numbers are simply ridiculous.
It would be tough to duplicate that on your PS3 or XBox.
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There may be one or two with better, but, that would have been in the Christy Matthewson era. Gibson was unbelievable. Hard to outdo a sandy Koufax in numbers, but, Gibson was the closest thing to a sure bet in post season as it gets.
Jeremy September 1st, 2009 at 12:51 am
If Andy was with the Team in 2004 the Yankees would have went to the world series. Andy pitching game 7 ALCS instead of Kevin Brown- the Yankees would have won.
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Not exactly. 2004 was the season Pettitte had season ending elbow surgery.
It’s very likely he would have been lost for the season to the Yanks if he had resigned.
The Yanks were concerned about that elbow beforehand.
1. Phillies are the best team in the NL.
2. I despise the Red Sox as much as anyone but no longer rooting for the Rangers in the WC. Don’t like the idea of the Angels walking over the Central winner on their way to meet us in the ALCS. Vlad is mashing and they’ve added Kazmir. Let the Angels and the Red Sox beat each other up while we get the Tigers.
Pat M. September 1st, 2009 at 12:49 am
Kirk, You got off at the wrong floor…..This is the Yankee Penthouse….The Boston Red Sox are a few floors down…..Like 7 floors down…..or is that 6.5
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Yep Kid, wipe your nose and take it like a man.
When you get got, well in this case it was a stranger.
Kirk September 1st, 2009 at 12:56 am
Can’t comepare Gibson to Schilling… 2 different eras.
That’s like saying Joba should pitch 270 innings because the greats of the 1960s and 70s did.
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Can’t argue that.
But you were the guy who came in here and made the ridiculous claim that Schilling is the “best postseason pitcher pitcher of all time.”
So don’t come in here and make stupid claims that you can’t substantiate with cold hard numbers.
Pat M.
September 1st, 2009 at 12:57 am
GB, Good call…..And how many World Series games did Whitey Foed win 10, he also had 33 consecutive shutout innings until some guy by the name of Rivera came along………BOSTON, Scranton with clams
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Ford had three complete game shutouts and if not for a foot inhury in 19961 would have probably had 4 straight WS shutouts in 1960 and 1961. He had to settle for 3 straight. Holds the career WS marks in most pitching categories, including walks and losses. He took a few shellings, too. In 1950, Ford would also have had a complete game shutout except for a 2 out error in the 9th inning allowing a run to score.
I know I’ll get hammered for this, but what the heck…Why are you guys debating Pettite’s chances for the Hall of Fame. Pettite, along with O’Neill, will make it to the Hall of Very Good. But Pettite in the HOF? He’s a known drug cheat. I’d never vote for him, if I were fortunate to have a vote.
Pettitte has almost double the amount of starts in the postseason than Schilling does. He’s also spent the majority of his career in the AL unlike Schilling whos spent the majority in the NL. He’s got more wins and less losses and he’s played in 5 less seasons (assuming this is his last).
Yeah even if Andy was with the Yankees he would have been unavailable. But anyone would have been better then Kevin Brown, Mike Mussina should have been the potential Game 7 starter.
That’s why I hope the Yankees make is to the WS and face Torre’s Dodgers and beat them, because he is the main one responsible for the Yankees failing that year.
I give Schilling his due, he was a tough MF come October, but hell he wasn’t even the best in the past 10-15 years…Chowdaheads…..
Since last season up until now,Sawx are 2-15 at tropicana field.Go Tampa!
The Sawx call going there,descending into the heart of darkness
Timo
I would prefer the Twins. The Yanks have dominated them historically like the Angels dominate the Yanks. The Tigers have collapsed before to the Twins in Sept. so I wouldn’t declare them the winner just yet.
The Mutts are going nowhere this year
Schilling is overated ! Just because he had a fake bloody sock and some great postseason starts doesn’t make him a Hall of Famer.
Not to come off as being negative, but the Yanks still have to go back to Disneyland….I’m not sure I’d refer it to Darkness, but it ain’t pretty……The last time I saw the Bombers win in Anahiem was last season when Aceves came up…….Other than that I can’t recall when the last time was…..And I see them at least 3 times a season out here in Anaheim…..I’m set for Game 1 & 3 next month
Jeremy, I agree with you that Schilling isn’t a HOF’er, but where exactly is it documented that the bloody sock is a fake? I keep hearing rumors about this, but I’ve not seen it confirmed anywhere.
PatM, Disneyland is the last team I want to see the Yankees playing in October.
LOL,Rockies acquire Contreas,I can’t stop laughing.
New thread……GB. I maybe doing a Savannah trip in early December……>>>>>
Pat M.
September 1st, 2009 at 1:24 am
New thread……GB. I maybe doing a Savannah trip in early December……>>>>>
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Hey, PAT M, that sounds great. He’ll have to go to River Street, have some good food, good drinks (Is there any other kind?). We’ll get together with Dennis and talk trash about Randy.
I always think perfection is a curse in disguise.
i agree…a-rod would be getting abused
A couple of class guys. My best wishes to both of them. This is the type of attitude that all Yankees need to have.
33-11 since AllStar break……….Wow!!!