Pettitte: “I want to make sure I’m done”
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Dec 09, 2009 
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It was Thanksgiving weekend when Andy Pettitte’s agent called the Yankees and let them know Pettitte wanted to come back for 2010. Less than two weeks later, a deal was complete.
“It’s great, it really is,” Pettitte said in an afternoon conference call. “I wanted to get home. I wanted to get this decision made and get it behind me, just move forward from there. I didn’t want to hold the Yankees up in any way.”
Pettitte said he and his wife went home after the playoffs and waited a little more than a week before talking about whether to come back, and given the way the season ended, retirement crossed Pettitte’s mind.
“There’s no doubt it did,” he said. “For me, I couldn’t have wrote it up any better. I just could not have wrote a script any better than last year ended. I was like, what else is there to do? Why would you even continue to play? But, then you start talking to guys and it’s like, I want to make sure I’m done. I want to make sure I fully exhaust myself and I don’t want to regret not playing. I want to come back and help this organization win another one, basically. That’s what you play for.”
Because of the postseason, Pettitte said he’s considering pushing back the day he starts throwing. He usually starts on January 1, but he might start two weeks later this year. Pettitte said he’ll check with Dave Eiland before setting an offseason plan. As for the Yankees offseason plan — which seems to be taking shape more quickly than anyone could have expected — Pettitte said he would welcome another arm, but he’s confident in what the Yankees have in house.
“I feel like we have a whole lot of options right now,” Pettitte said. “I know the Yankees are always trying to get better as an organization. Always trying to prepare for the future. If they could swing a deal for another arm, that’s not going to do anything but help us have an opportunity to win another championship, so that would be great if they could do that. But if not, I believe that we feel like we’re probably strong enough and if we stay healthy we have a good shot at making another run at this thing.”
Look in the middle of this picture: It’s Peter Gammons.
http://kissingsuzykolber.uprox.....hester.jpg
Why would Andy consider retiring. He still has plenty in the tank and he makes great money.
So I wonder who the other pitcher will be.
What about Xavier Nady?
I’d like to go cheap on the hitting and spend more on the pitching.
There’s enough room in the budget for cheapy hitters like Nady and DeRosa.
On top of that they’ll need to sign one of Harden/Sheets/Bedard and they need RAFAEL SORIANO
Other than the signing of Pettitte, slow day at the Winter Meetings. Still waiting on resolution of yesterday’s 3-team deal. Keeping fingers crossed.
Our bullpen right now:
Mariano
Marte (L)
Robertson
Aceves
Gaudin
Mitre
I expect Mitre to be in Scranton for depth, so who are the most likely 2 candidates to round out the bullpen at 7?
Albaladejo, Dunn (L), Melancon? Who else?
Cliff notes:
Andy loves money and he’d rather be forced out due to sucking rather than going out strong (ala Mike Mussina).
Dude is not worth $12 million.
“On top of that they’ll need to sign one of Harden/Sheets/Bedard and they need RAFAEL SORIANO”
need?..definitly no need for soriano..
I keep hearing people on ESPN and other blogs and boards saying that Peter Gammons knew more about baseball then anyone.
I cannot understand that, for the life of me.
I cannot remember him saying one knowledgeable thing regarding baseball in the last 5 years (since the Sox won).
The Granderson deal is official.
I made a mistake, the only piece of knowledgeable information Peter Gammons told me came from his breath, and it told me that the Red Sox eat a lot of spicy food.
For the Giants fans here, people across ESPN said that Eli’s foot injury has had nothing to do with his struggles recently.
For Tom Brady, people across ESPN has said that his wife’s impending pregnancy has affected Tom Brady over the past several weeks.
You cannot make this stuff up.
SI_JonHeyman #yankees still interested in lackey or halladay. source: #jays requested montero plus joba OR hughes plus more for roy.
Jays have every right to ask for the moon, but they won’t get it from the Yankees……and it doesn’t look like the Jays are in the mood to negotiate. The Yanks get screwed because they have better prospects than the Sox. By that, I mean the Jays will ask for the Sox best prospects, who can’t touch a Montero, Phil, Joba……. In any case, I’ll bet the Yanks walk away like now.
as long as they’re talking with Lackey there’s pressure on the Jays.
No Bedard! No Sheets! Harden would be a worthy risk..
As for Halladay, I think it is more important to raise the price for the sox than anything else… But:
The jays need: Major league ready pitcher, catching prospect (NOT JESUS), SS prospect, and some minor league pitching prospects, Thus:
Joba, Austin Romine, Pena, Brackman/McCallister… Betances?
I’m really glad Andy decided to come back, and that they worked out a deal so quickly.
The Jays are on crack.
Lackey makes more sense at those prices.
Roy is a Bentley but Audi’s ain’t bad.
Now that Andy’s deal is done, with a minimum of screwing around (smart by both sides) the “to do” list remains:
Sign Damon (2 yrs.) & Matsui (1 year). Forget Holliday & Bay – not worth what they’ll command.
See how the market shakes out for Halladay or Lackey. Or go the cheaper route and take a flyer on Sheets.
That should do nicely.
“First – you don’t know that about them accepting short term deals
Second – if signing Cameron means giving him two years (which it might) and then Crawford gets to free agency you’re going to be killing Cashman for having Cameron taking up a spot that could go to a guy like Crawford”
Nobody is signing Cameron to a 2 year deal. However, if that’s what it takes to get him I’d consider it. If Crawford is available in 2011 just put Cameron in RF, DH Swisher and away we go.
Same deal with Damon except move him to DH in 2011 if he signs for 2 years.
Matsui/Johnson would obviously stay at DH if signed to a 2 year deal.
There, problem solved. Look chip I know you’re trying to be clever and come up with other options but it’s just not working. SJ44 and I just named 5 guys that are better than the people you’ve been talking about.
CR9-Hilarious.
Eli has had a great season IMO. Sure he hasn’t had the greatest couple of games, but in Dallas he did a good job not letting his mistakes get out of hand and should have thrown 3 TD’s (Smith dropped one).
Plus, he was awesome in Atlanta.
Very happy Andy is back. He is worth every penny based on his 2009 performance on the hill.
Who cares if Andy’s not worth $12m? Jeter’s not worth $20m and Alex is not worth $32m and CC is not worth $25m and AJ’s not worth $18m and there’s no catcher in baseball getting what Jorgie does.
Who cares? It’s what the Yankees do.
If my choices were Roy Halladay or
Lackey + Hughes
Lackey + Joba
Lackey + Montero
or Lackey + any combo of Hughes, Joba, Montero, the choice is simple.
Is the granderson deal official yet?
Phil
December 9th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
The Granderson deal is official.
*****************
Nice. Thanks Phil.
NOTE TO POSTERS;
The term ‘Cameron’ has been banned. Usage of the word or any derivative thereof shall result in IP tracing followed by immediate account deactivation.
CUT THE CRAP
I’d love to get Cameron for a year. Our lineup would be:
Jeter SS
Granderson LF
Tex 1b
A-Rod 3b
Posada C
Cano 2b
Swisher DH
Cameron CF
Melky(?)RF
Enjoy the winter Toronto – your options are getting limited.
Again, NO WAY they should give up Joba, Hughes or Montero for Halladay. And pay him $20m plus/yr?
Um, no.
Every day this lingers the price drops.
The RS want to go after him, fine – let them decimate their farm system.
Cash is not doing business the old way any more.
link on granderson?
Phil, that request is so out there – Montero, Joba or Hughes PLUS more? That’s worse than what J.P. was rumored to be asking….or, at least as bad. I’m not sure if there’s any room for negotiating based on that outlandish request. However, I will say that Cash didn’t get to be GM just by walking away when things didn’t look so hot. He got the Tigers to back off off Cervelli/Dunn…the man knows what he’s doing.
I really don’t want Lackey, though……
Actually I’m seeing Cameron’s name a lot, including even in connection with the Red Sox.
I think he could end up with a two year deal, but IMO if the Yanks gave him that I’d be OK with it. Actually, I’d prefer the 2 year deal with Cameron than a two year deal with Damon.
SI_JonHeyman: #yankees trade now completed with dbacks, tigers.
I’M GONNA BLOW MY BRAINS OUT
I would be happy with Damon too. Then our A lineup would be:
Jeter SS
Damon DH
Tex 1b
A-Rod 3b
Posada C
Cano 2b
Granderson CF
Swisher RF
Cabrera LF
Both lineups are absolutely sick, and both are GREAT OF defenses.
MLBTraderumors
Quote:
Ben Sheets’ agent Casey Close met with the Rangers yesterday, and according to ESPN’s Richard Durrett, the pitcher “is apparently looking for money similar to what he made his last season in the majors — 2008, which was $12 million.” Sheets figures to be popular on the free agent market, but we’ll have to see what kind of guarantee he requires after missing all of 2009.
I’m not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but has anyone thought about bringing in Mike Cameron?
Bret,
Please do, you’d be doing us all a favor
You know what – I threw Ryan Church out today mostly as a joke, but after taking so much heat for it I’m officially waving the Ryan Church pom-poms.
I think his production will take off as a Yankee and getting to the short porch instead of playing in huge parks like Shea, RFK, Citi and Turner.
I think he’s a suitable defensive player
He’s cost effective for what Brian’s trying to do
He’s a Cashman type of player
And it would drive Met fans nuts if he were to succeed here.
Granderson presser will be at 4:30 est. I may be on MLB Network or ESPNEWS or something.
Ben Sheets’ agent Casey Close met with the Rangers yesterday, and according to ESPN’s Richard Durrett, the pitcher “is apparently looking for money similar to what he made his last season in the majors — 2008, which was $12 million.”
I don’t doubt he’ll get it, but he would have to hit a lot of incentives. I wouldn’t give him more than a 6 mil base salary.
Randy Winn needs a home.
Any chance the full audio of the conference call can be out up in the site. It has been done in the past
Ben Sheets wants 12mil? Yeah and I want to look like Angelina Jolie. Good luck with that one, Ben.
Gayle- mlb live, maybe. :
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.....id=6261176
Sheets is on crack if he’s seriously asking for $12 mil.
screw cameron, screw church… we should sign Nady, he plays both left and right field, if his elbow is fixed, hes a very good fit. nice guy, decent bat, pretty good defense.
“I don’t doubt he’ll get it, but he would have to hit a lot of incentives. ”
It would have to be through incentives. No one is paying him 12mil flat out. The guy was injured last year.
Whatever you say Patrick the prospect nuthugger.
I don’t want Nady, he’s practically an amputee.
I’d take Damon over Cameron to fit what’s needed on this team at this point. I’m just not sure the Yankees are going to give Johnie the best deal he can get.
Another starting pitcher to replace Wang or Kennedy on the roster is probably next on the list.
Bret the Hitman
December 9th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
I’M GONNA BLOW MY BRAINS OUT
Patrick the Prospect Hugger
December 9th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Bret,
Please do, you’d be doing us all a favor
Bret the Hitman
December 9th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Whatever you say Patrick the prospect nuthugger.
Ah, the Christmas Spirit! How it touches us all!
Sign nady to a cheap deal, sign matsui who would have zero leverage at that point. Plus i much prefer matsui behind a-rod over anyone else. swish or cano cannot be hitting 5th
Outfield: Granderson, Swish, Nady, melky, Gardner…not bad
Lineup:
Jeter
Granderson
Tex
Arod
Matsui
Posada
Cano
Nady
Swish
and melky will platoon with swish and nady
Hey Michelle, I suggested Nady days ago, so no complaints there from me. I’m good with either Cameron or Nady for different reasons:
Both would require only 1 or 2 year contracts. Cameron know’s he’s not getting more than that, and Nady has to prove his arm is healed. If it is, and he’s productive, he could be a valuable FA next season.
Cameron could play either CF or LF, as could Granderson. Swisher would be in RF.
Nady could play LF, Granderson in CF, and Swisher in RF.
i would give wang a reaaaally cheap contract in a second
Laura – Bring back Matsui in 2010!
December 9th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Ben Sheets wants 12mil? Yeah and I want to look like Angelina Jolie. Good luck with that one, Ben.
*******************
LOL
I love the Granderson trade, however since he seems to be struggling against lefty pitching I was thinking how about the Yankees sign a backup OF who hits particularly well against lefty’s, I was thinking maybe a guy like Reed Johnson he can play all OF positions and and has decent numbers against leftys 290 BA 790 OPS or even better if we can get Matt Diaz from the Braves his numbers agings lefty’s are just sick, for his career 347 BA 922 OPS.
Cmon Cashman make it happen
I am scared of cameron, i feel like he is a ticking time bomb, i dont like his attitude and he is injury prone. Not that nady isnt, he’s had two tommy john’s now…
Cameron is known to have a great attitude, and is friends with CC.
Mike Cameron was suspended twice for banned substances and has been fined or suspeneded several times for altercations with umps. Last yr he bumped an ump in the chest. Great attitude! The man is 36 we need to get younger not more ancient.
I only want him for a year, and anyway he’s supposedly a great clubhouse man.
Banned substances are irrelevant to attitude.