Nov
05

Pettitte wants two years

By Benjamin Kabak

Via Davidoff:

There are rumblings that Pettitte wants a two-year deal, and that won’t be happening with the Yankees, who would ask Pettitte to accept a one-year offer in the neighborhood of $10 million. Pettitte made $16 million each of the past two years.

Pettitte hasn’t even filed for free agency yet, but when he does, and if this staredown is still going on with between Pettitte and the Yankees, expect the Astros to try to bring Pettitte back to his hometown. The Astros, from owner Drayton McLane to manager Cecil Cooper to ace Roy Oswalt, are very fond of Pettitte. It’s a saga on which to keep an eye.

We’ve written enough about Pettitte since the season has ended to eschew the analysis. Suffice it say, the Yankees should not, under any circumstances, give Andy Pettitte a guaranteed two-year contract. I’m not even sure I’d give the lefty one year. If Pettitte goes to the Astros, so be it.

Posted on Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 at 7:25 pm in Hot Stove League.

RSS feed | Trackback URI

132 Comments »

steve (different one) says:

hmmm, i’d like Andy back, and i think they kindof need his innings.

on the bright side, Houston has the 20th pick in the draft.

JD says:

2 years?? Thanks for everything Andy but we should pass.

 
 
waltern says:

Big mistake to let Andy go. He pitched thru pain last year. Won quite a few big games earlier in the year.

 
blee says:

he faltered at the end of the season a bit, but he was still one of the more reliable pitchers before he started getting tired or pitching through pain.
Pettitte has always been a reliable pitcher and stopper..
To say you question offering even a 1 year contract seems exaggerated..

Ben K. says:

Not an exaggeration. I personally question giving him even a one-year deal based on what we saw throughout the final few months of the season. I could be overreacting, but Pettitte didn’t seem to have much left in the tank.

mustang says:
mustang says:

Moose looked even worst then Pettitte at the end of 2007.

steve (different one) says:
 
 
 
radnom says:

You’re overreacting.

You bring him back one year without even thinking about it. Two years….not so much.

 
AndrewYF says:

Sure, he tired down the stretch, but to question a no-risk one year deal for him, especially when Sidney Pontoon and “Razzle” pitched the equivalent of a full season this past year? Come on. Remember he had about a 3.75 ERA at the break, and his FIP on the year was an excellent 3.91. He wasn’t that good, but he got unlucky. Pettitte on a one year deal is a perfect fit for this team. Two years guaranteed, no way in hell.

 
 
 
D.B. says:

all i have to say is that hes a TYPE A

Steve says:

Yeah, you offer him arbitration and try to work something out before the hearing. I’d be willing to accept whatever the Judge decides rather than discuss 2 years.

Those Astros picks would be very sweet. 20th overall (actually #21 for the Nats Crow comp) and #52 of the supplemental round if I have it figured correctly. Pick #21 could be a very good player.

christopher says:

is houston’s #1 going to be protected? if not this i Great news because a desire to play 2 years indicates to me that andy doesnt want to retire and WOUL go to another team netting us more picks

 
 
 
dan l says:

Take the picks! Didn’t we get Phil Hughes the last time Andy Pettitte was a free agent?

steve (different one) says:
steve (different one) says:

speaking of Busty McBusterson, here is Abraham:

Hughes was throwing 95 in Arizona the other night and the Yankees were thrilled. They’re also enthused about how well Hughes is throwing his cutter.

Steve H says:

So clearly the gun was juiced by 4 mph right? We all know he throws 91 mph, and no one can be successful at 91 mph.

steve (different one) says:

here is the next part of his quote:

(As a side note, I was told that the radar gun on the scoreboard in Scranton is absolutely accurate. So when Chad Jennings was reporting on his blog that Hughes was throwing 95 over the summer, it was true.)

Steve says:

Its nice to see Pete back on Hughes side. For a while there, he was making the case to trade him.

When Hughes has 1-2 bad outings, seems like everyone’s ready to throw in the towel. Turns out he ripped a fingernail off and that’s what caused his poor showings. His detractors may want to say “He’s always hurt” but I cant count a fingernail as an injury.

Even Carl Pavano never had a career ending fingernail injury.

Ivan says:

Pete Abe has always been a Hughes supporter even despite the struggles. Pete likes Hughes alot and even said that he hoped the yankees don’t trade him.

(Comments wont nest below this level)
Steve says:

You’re right. I’m not sure why I thought that, but I just looked through some of his recent postings and he was solidly behind being patient with him.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
J.R. says:

Fuck this stuff. Let Andy go, he was the one who started this year to year nonsense. If he wants a two year deal after the bull he pulled last year, then let him go to the Astros and we can have their draft pick.

 
Steve says:

I really think this is just a little bargaining by his agent. The Yanks know he wants to be here, so he really has very little leverage. Now the Yanks want him to take a huge pay cut. This looks like an attempt by his agent to try to keep Andy from getting mugged in these negotiations.

 
steve (different one) says:

i think he’s posturing. he’ll settle. i don’t think he wants to go back to Houston, he wants to pitch in the new stadium.

 
LC says:

If he rly does want two years…would the Yanks offer arbitration? he’s a type A right?

steve (different one) says:

not sure what you are asking. the Yankees will offer arbitration to Andy no matter what.

worst case, he accepts and they work out a 1 year deal.

 
 
Joey H says:

This is huge, in reguards to Huston, But one interesting thing i read is the longer mussina takes, the more likely he is to play.

 
X-Man(Angel) says:
 
mustang says:

See if you can get him for 1 year with an option that seems to be middle ground.

 
Chip says:

He’ll be back with a one year deal next season. He wants to pitch in the new Stadium, have a chance for another ring and cement his status as a great Yankee pitcher. If not, we get two draft picks (which I’d rather have). I’m sure Cashman laughed when he saw this, Andy will be back at a big discount next season

Mike A. says:

I’m pretty sure his status and a great Yankee pitcher has already been cemented.

Chip says:

I do too but I’m sure he’s dreaming of ring number five and having everyone chant his name as he walks off the mound for the last time a la Paul O’Neil

… and then he retires, gets a job at YES, and 7 years from applauds the douchenozzles at the stadium who boo some kid issued #46…

… and 7 years from now applauds the douchenozzles at the stadium who boo some kid issued #46…

 
radnom says:

Latroy Hawkins is a kid?

Yes. Not that it matters, you’re focusing on the wrong thing.

Kay Sturns says:

FOCUS!!!

(Comments wont nest below this level)
 
 
 
 
 
 
mustang says:

Don’t fall too in love with the draft picks left-handed starting pitching doesn’t grow on trees even as old as Pettitte. There were too many other things going on with him to just disregard him for a few picks.

Steve says:

True, but if the Yanks land all of their off season targets I’m not 100% sure they’d bring him back. If the Yanks were to sign CC and Burnett, your rotation would be:

CC
Wang
Burnett
Joba

and then you could let Hughes/Aceves/IPK fight it out for that last spot. Mussina is also still undecided about his future, so he could factor in as well.

mustang says:

Agree, but I rather have Hughes/Aceves/IPK on stand by in AAA when someone goes down or to fill in for the Joba pitch count thing.

Steve says:

All 3? 2 stud prospects in AAA would be plenty of injury protection. Also, guys like Giese and Rasner will be hanging around as well as last resorts.

mustang says:
mustang says:

But God i don’t want to go to the last resorts ever again.

(Comments wont nest below this level)

Yeah, I’d much rather go to the all-inclusive resort. Hedonism is pretty awesome.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I don’t see Andy going to Houston, sorry. Yankees or bust. We’ll give him a one year with a team option.

Steve says:

I didn’t see him going to Houston in 2004, either. It was all supposed to be a formality.

Steve H says:

Yet he came back as soon as he could. He missed the NY atmosphere considerably.

Steve says:

No, actually the Astros didn’t want him (and Clemens) back, and the Yanks seized upon it.

There are some rumblings now that McClane might want to see if he can shmooze Andy back again. If these negotiations get ugly, you could see Andy going back to his hometown team. I wouldn’t dismiss the possibility, I did in late 2003 and was dead wrong. .

 
 

Yeah, but his Mexican HGH pipeline has dried up, so why bother moving close to the border again?

The Astros had a Pythagorean W-L record of 77-84. They suck. Andy Pettitte doesn’t want any part of that.

All his boys (Jetes, Jorge, Mo) + ARod + Cano + Damon + Teixiera + CC + Wang + Joba + Hughes + the Yankee bullpen

vs.

Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman, 89 year old Miguel Tejada and 22 guys named Brandon Backe and Humberto Quintero.

Andy’s 37 years old. He’s been in NYC for 11 of the past 14 years. He’s been in the Yankee system since he was 20. This is home as much as anything else is.

Reggie C. says:

The ‘Stros would be absolutely retarded to forgo their 1st round UN-protected pick to pick up Andy for a year.

If i’m Yankee brass , I offer Andy a one year at 10 million. You either get him at a nice discount to shore up the bottom of the rotation, OR you likely get a 2 draft picks.

Yup, good point. Andy’s Type A status should be the push over the edge against any other team giving a 2 year deal to a 37 year old pitcher coming off a 5.35 second half ERA who’s no longer using HGH.

Nobody is giving up a draft pick for Andy Pettitte.

 
 
 
 
mustang says:
 
 
C.Panella says:

Sorry andy we love you but giving you two years would be a mistake from a business point of veiw

 
X-Man(Angel) says:

I miss, but Mike, Betemit debut last sunday in the DWL with escogido..

 
Ricochet says:

Pettitte looked good for a good portion of ‘08. Sure he struggled towards the end of the season but that happens, even good and great players have a bad year or bad couple of months.

IMO Pettitte has a lot left in the tank and I think it’s a mistake to let him go as his experience and history is too valuable and it’s not that he’s being asked to be a top of the rotation type pitcher any more. He will be the 4th or 5th starter and your not going to do much better then what Pettitte will give the Yankees out of that spot in the rotation.

2 years is fine with me as I think he would be one of the best 4th or 5th starters that any team has over the next 2 seasons and I think having him until 2010 is perfect because the Yankees have a lot of great pitching prospects with ETA’s of 2011 and 1 of those guys can replace him in the rotation.

 
DonnieBaseballHallofFame says:

I would love for Andy to go back to the Stros and we get their two picks AGAIN!

 
Ivan says:

Andy is gonna accept a 1-year deal. He knows that the chances of him gettin a 2 year deal from the yanks is extremely small and the Yanks knows that he doesn’t wanna go anywhere but NY. Andy is a Yankee in the start of the 09 season and im confident of saying that.

Reggie C. says:

This better be Andy’s attempt at getting more money on the 1-year offer the Yanks are gonna make. I sort of “sweeten the pot so i’ll settle for 1 year” leverage play.

It better be that. Otherwise, Andy’s just getting greedy and overplayed his hand all the way back to Houston.

 
 
Steve says:

You know, the longer Moose waits to make a decision, the more you start to believe he’s going to pitch somewhere in 2009.

Meh, I’ve already mentally written him off. I think either he retires, or Ruben Amaro talks himself into giving him a 3 year optionless deal, and we get a Phirst rounder and a sandwich Phick.

Steve H says:

Isn’t it a comphensation phick?

Yes. A comphensation phick disphensed phor ophseason phree agent losses.

They’re calculated phrom the Elias phormula, iph memory serves.

Steve H says:

Reading that gave me a headache

Steve says:

Pheeling a phever coming on?

Where’s steve (diphrent one) when you need him?

(Comments wont nest below this level)
steve (different one) says:

he’s probably jerking oph…

 
Mike Pop says:

U were too u sick freak !!!!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Steve H says:

Buster Olney posting here now?

“Some of Mike Mussina’s friends believe that the longer it takes him to make a decision on whether to come back, the more likely it is that he will pitch in 2009.”

Steve says:

Great minds think alike, what can I tell you.

Steve H says:

I’m sure your mind is greater than Busters though.

Steve says:

Nah, actually I think Buster’s one of the best sportswriters around.

 
 
Mike Pop says:

Ya its not like u read that off mlbtr

Steve says:
 
 
 
 
 
Simon B. says:

Wow, the “swarm” has really turned against Pettitte. I’m reluctant to give him two years, but I think I would ultimately give him that if that was the deal breaker. I certainly want him back for ‘09, and I can’t believe Ben is reluctant to give him even one year. Pitchers like Pettitte are still very valuable.

 

Wow, I’m reading a blurb on ESPN about the Lions starting Culpepper mere days after signing him:

“Wednesday’s reports that quarterback Daunte Culpepper took the lead reps in his first practice with the Lions reinforce the notion that he will start Sunday against Jacksonville. Former starter Dan Orlovsky is scheduled to see a hand specialist later this week, and the Lions obviously don’t trust backups Drew Stanton or Drew Henson.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!?!?!

DREW HENSON IS STILL ALIVE?!?!?! AND GAINFULLY EMPLOYED IN THE NFL?!???!

MULTIPLE INTERROBANGS??!?!?!?!?!??!??!??!?!!!?!?!?!??!?

Steve H says:

Drew Henson still in the NFL, that’s a curveball. Which Henson promptly swung at and missed.

Mike Pop says:

He thinks he is actually gonna be successful

 
 
Jack says:
Jack says:

Sorry about that, I tried copying and pasting a combination ! and ?. It didn’t work.

 
 
 
Mike Pop says:

Andy on 2 years is safer than Burnett at 4… But Id think I take Burnett unless Pettite is like 6 mill a year

 
Steve says:

LoHud

Cashman said he hopes to cut a deal with Pettitte. “Hopefully we’ll be able to do something,” he said.

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/200.....t-of-love/

steve (different one) says:

i like the rest of that quote:

Cashman did have one funny quote on pursuing free agents.

“We’re going to show a lot of love,” he said. “We’re going to need to have somebody to love us back. If somebody loves us back, we’re going to have a deal.”

 

Cashman’s gonna send Luca Brasi to him to make him an offer he won’t refuse.

 
 
yankee21 says:

Pettitte was counted upon to be a #2 starter for most of 2008, if he comes back
its doubtful he’ll be counted upon to even be a #3 much less a #2. Obviously if the Yankees whiff on CC, Andy will be vital, but assuming the Yankees score CC,
pencil Andy behind CC,Wang, SP TBD, Pettitte, then Joba (innings restrictions)

Additionally, signing Pettite takes the pressure off of signing AJ for too long or too much.

Sign Petitte for 1 year at 10K with a second year team option at 10M or buy out at 6M.

Thoughts?

Mike Pop says:

you really dont mean 10 K right ?

Steve says:

10 grand, that’s my final offer.

steve (different one) says:

paid out as 1/10th of a 100 Grand candybar.

oh screw it, give him the whole bar.

 
 
 
Reggie C. says:

I’m cool with offering Pettitte a 1 year / $10 million offer . He’s the guy who can shore up the 4/5 spot in a contending rotation. A second year team option is a pretty transparent gesture b/c Pettitte knows there’s no way the Yanks pick up the option if he has another 4.50 ERA campaign.

steve (different one) says:

eh, you never know. $10M is about the going rate for a 4.5 ERA….

Reggie C. says:

Perhaps. But i’d rather give that LAST spot in the rotation to Aceves, Kennedy, or Horne if we’re accepting a 4.50 era from our 5 guy in 2010.

… Horne is still in the Yankee org. right?

Steve H says:

Yeah, if it’s for the #5 spot, go for the upside, especially on the cheap.

 
 
 
 
 
yankee21 says:

I really do mean 10m

 
Steve says:

Cashman also cleared something up for me. He said that even if he signs Andy, he still goes after another 2 starters. So if they can land everyone they hope to, the rotation would be

CC
Wang
Burnett
Pettitte
Joba

With Hughes and IPK in AAA. I’d guess Aceves could conceivable land a spot on the 25 man as the long man/spot starter. This also explains why they seem more willing to move Hughes this off season. He’s really not in their plans if all goes well.

Mike Pop says:

I disagree that hes not really in their plans

 
Mike Pop says:

Tho I would move Hughes for Chris Davis and Kinsler =)

 
Reggie C. says:

If Hughes isn’t traded this off-season then the plan is likely to start him off in AAA. Likely. Hughes hasn’t done anything to earn a rotation spot. Pettite is holding that spot for one season. If we forgo on Burnett and bring back Moose, then there’s a couple open spots after ‘09. Its a conservative move in light of last season’s setbacks, but if both Moose and Pettite are back, Hughes is most definitely in the plans for 2010 and beyond.

Mike Pop says:

Hes gonna be HUUGGE for us in 09.. Im telling you

 
steve (different one) says:

what are the odds that that Yankees will need more than 5 starters in 2009? 99%? 99.9%?

i’d say even if Hughes is the odd man out in April, he is very much in their plans for 2009.

of course, that doesn’t mean he can’t be traded.

The odds that we’ll need more than 5 starters in 2009 is 342%.

 
 
 
Ivan says:

Hopefully a guy like Burnett or Lowe sign somewhere else.

 
 

I don’t know if you guys have control over it but the ads on the right side of the page are “suggesting that God doesn’t exist” and I don’t really think that it is in the best interest of your site to allow special (by special, I mean stupid) interests to advertise…

steve (different one) says:

i don’t think they have any control over it.

I was thinking about buying that Clemens-McCready tell-all DVD…

Mike Pop says:
Steve H says:

So it must be illegal then.

 

Its a sex-tape

Was that supposed to dissuade me, or persuade me?

 
 
Steve says:

Did you know that there’s a Yankee gingerbread box on E-Bay for only $7?!

Did you know that there’s a Yankee gingerbread box on E-Bay for only $7?!

Are we still talking about the Clemens-McCready sex tape?

http://www.instantrimshot.com

 
 
 
 
radnom says:

heh. My favorite is the series of ads where the top one is like

“Hate Boston?! So do we! Get your Boston Sux gear here.”

and then (same ad) but one box down

“Get all your Boston Red Sox gear right here!”

 
Doug says:

Firefox, Adblock, problem solved

 
 
Mike Pop says:

Manny big money deal

 
E-ROC says:

8:43pm: Ken Davidoff says the Yankees had “extremely preliminary” talks with the Sox regarding Swisher. Something to keep an eye on if the Yanks don’t sign Mark Teixeira. Additionally, Davidoff says the White Sox are not anxious to unload Vazquez.

Tim Dierkes

steve (different one) says:

i would love to get Swisher, but not in lieu of Teixeira. Swisher plays all 3 OF positions.

Mike Pop says:

Ya Swish would prob be cheap too I would hope.. You might even have to look into him if we sign Tex

Mike Pop says:

cheap in prospects to get im saying not money wise.. He could take over right or left full time in 2010 right

steve (different one) says:

i have no idea what it would take…it’s kindof like the Cano situation where the Sox know they are selling low on the guy, so they are going to be hyper-aware of getting ripped off.

who knows? they did give up a lot for Swisher just a year ago.

Mike Pop says:

Ya De Los Santos and Gio… i dont remember the 3rd guy

Kay Sturns says:

ryan sweeney

(Comments wont nest below this level)
 
 
 
 
 
Steve H says:

He barely plays CF, but I’m all for bringing him in, especially if we don’t get Tex. Short porch would do him well, patient hitter, lots of walks, switch hitter, cheap. Sucked last year, but a pretty strong obp/ops record in Oakland, a pitchers park.

 
 

8:43pm: Ken Davidoff says the Yankees had “extremely preliminary” talks with the Sox regarding Swisher.

Cashman: Hey, Kenny.
Ken Williams, White Sox GM: Hey, whatup, Brian.
Cashman: Nothing much. How you been?
Williams: Good.
Cashman. How’s Kenny Jr. doing?
Williams: Eh, they tell me he needs to focus on going the other way. Unless his winter ball is phenomenal, he’ll probably go to low-A. Thanks for asking, though.
Cashman: Oh, no problem, good luck.
Williams: So, how’s it been so far?
Cashman: Just throwing out some feelers, you know. I may have to get rid of Matsui’s money to keep the big guys happy if we bring in the big boys.
Williams: Tell me about it. Reinsdorf’s acting like a pennypincher again, he’s freaking out about the recession. He’s got me floating Swisher and Linebrink.
Cashman: Never changes, huh?
Williams: Who you tellin’?
Cashman: Alright, K. I’m gonna hit the spa, they got that hot stones thing again. It’s awesome, the stress just melts off.
Williams: Cool, I gotta blackberry some shit and then I promised Jessica we’d do a videochat thing with the kids, but maybe I’ll check it out tomorrow. Take it easy.
Cashman: Night.

Aaaaaand, SCENE!

Slugger27 says:
 
 
 
Mike Pop says:

Anyone see matsui’s pic on Nomaas i find that hilarious

 
Murph1010 says:

We need picks more than we need Andy

Agreed, but we’re not going to get any picks, so this is moot.

 
Slugger27 says:

if we sign CC and another dude, ur right…

but if not…….

 
 
Mike R. says:

Maybe Torre could entice Andy to play in LA a couple of years. That would be the best case scenario other than a 1 year $10 million deal. Dodgers have the 17th pick if I am not mistaken.

 
Old Ranger says:

Don’t remember Cash saying: “(Even if we sign one of Moose/Andy,) we will go after two more pitchers”…I do remember the last part. Did I read (or remember) it wrong? If not here’s my 1 cents worth…
Sign CC, Andy and Tex; we would have our 1st basemen/switch hitter to help with the loss of Jason/Bobby. Also, we have a rotation of; CC, CMW, Andy, Joba, Phil, now that is a damn good rotation…with a plethora of back-ups, in the wings. I think trading Phil is ludicrous and Manny, and Dunn are not in the plans for the Yanks…nor should they be!
Now, if we could trade Johnny+ others for a good, young, athletic, corner outfielder. Our defence would be a lot better, which helps our pitching, which helps our offence, which helps us win more games.

Chip says:

I wish we could trade an old outfielder for a younger better one too :)

 
 
GG says:

Andy as the 4-5 starter would be great.

Who cares if its a 1 or 2 yr deal?

 
Kay Sturns says:

i would love me another Phil Hughes to follow in teh minors courtesy of teh Astros. Maybe Aaron Crow will want a big ML deal?

 
ortforshort says:

Apparently, Pettitte’s off second half was due to injury. Assuming he’s OK, Pettitte is quality at the bottom of the rotation and clutch down the stretch and in the playoffs. Sign him for two years – he ain’t that old. Also, I think Mussina’s talk of retirement is a ploy to get a three year deal. With him, I’d want to hold the line at two because he is that old.

 
CountryClub says:

I’m glad to see that a lot of you want Andy back. I think it’s crazy that some people have given up on him after a bad half season. 2 years at 12.5 mil per sounds about right. I mean, who would you rather have as your 4th starter? Derek Lowe? Please.

 
Name (required)
E-mail (required - never shown publicly)
URI
Your Comment (smaller size | larger size)

You may use <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong> in your comment.

If this is your first time commenting on River Ave. Blues, please review the RAB Commenter Guidelines.

Trackback responses to this post