Pettitte not expected to decide on 2011 this week

January 3, 2011 by Benjamin Kabak 35 Comments

Earlier today, we reported that the Yanks aren’t expecting Andy Pettitte to return, but we did say they were expecting to hear from the lefty this week. Apparently, those earlier reports were erroneous. As Brian Costello of The Post reported this afternoon, Brian Cashman said he doesn’t believe he’ll hear from Pettitte this week.

In a related post, T.R. Sullivan, MLB.com’s Rangers reporter, confirms that Texas did indeed reach out to Pettitte. The ballclub was informed that Pettitte “will either retire or go back to the Yankees.” Sullivan believes Pettitte will make up his mind in February which is in line with what we’ve heard concerning the Yanks’ decision to move ahead on the assumption that Pettitte will retire. Either way, Pettitte, says Sullivan, “wants to retire as a Yankee,” and the club will happily give him the time he needs to come to a decision.

The Big City of Dreams

This thing is becoming a joke.
- http://danielslifka.wordpress.com Jerome S.
  
  Put yourself in Andy’s shoes.
  - The Big City of Dreams
    
    ok…yep still becoming a joke.
http://theyankeeu.com Matt Imbrogno

You’re killing me, Smalls.
- http://www.twitter.com/brandonholley B-Rando
  
  Honestly though…I think the longer he takes, the better it bodes for his potential comeback. If all we are hearing now is he is probably done, and he’s pretty serious this time around, well then if he made a decision right now, it’s probably to retire.
  
  If he takes a little more time, and is away from baseball a little more, maybe he’ll get the itch to come back one last time…
Jerkface

Will this asshole just decide already. There has been very little Yankee news and it sucks. Pettitte is awesome and I love him to death, but he has to know if he is going to play or not right? If this was all a smoke screen to give Cash time to get other options while not appearing weak then why the hell is everyone leaking about Pettitte not coming back.

The longer this takes, the more likely his return should be!
- http://danielslifka.wordpress.com Jerome S.
  
  Think of this:
  
  You have had a great career, and you already have 5 rings; there’s little else left to gain.
  
  Meanwhile, you’ve been home for a few months now and you kinda like the idea of being a dad and a husband. Playing catch with yourself is, in a way, more invigorating than playing with Posada or Jeter.
  
  Family > fans. I would need time, too.
  - Poopy Pants
    
    “and you kinda like the idea of being a dad and a husband”
    
    LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL!
- http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak
  
  Did you just call Andy Pettitte an asshole because he’s not making up his mind fast enough to you? You’re certainly living up to your handle.
  - Jerkface
    
    Yuck it up. Yea my handle is Jerkface, ain’t heard anything about *that* before.
  - Jerkface
    
    Yuck it up. Yea my handle is Jerkface, ain’t heard anything about *that* before.
    
    And for a guy that has to make up his mind, it sure has been reported that he is retiring like a million times. Sources to close to everyone say he is retiring, well whats the goddamn hold up?
    
    It makes me think he isn’t retiring!
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  Will this asshole
  
  HOW DARE YOU.
  - LGY
    
    LMAO
- The Godfather
  
  Fuck You asshole leave the poor guy alone and let him take his time we are all waiting on him and an important decision like this should not be rushed. it is assholes like you that can not wait and want thing rushed
brockdc

Here’s something to ponder: How much would Hal be willing to throw at A.P. for one last go-round?

I say…17.5 mil.

And maybe 200 dollars in Winn Dixie gift cards.
Gonzo

What’s the highest price you are willing to pay? I mean what if Andy says $15mm will do it? $17.5mm? $20mm? $22.5mm? $25mm?
- bonestock94
  
  Nope, he’ll probably be injured for a significant chunk of the season if he comes back. He shouldn’t get more than 2010’s salary let alone ace money.
  - MikeD
    
    Based on what? He had a pulled groin last year, limiting him to 21 games. The prior five seasons he started between 32 and 36 games a year. He has been a very durable pitcher, and most importantly, his arm has been healthy. If I was Pettitte’s agent and the Yankees started negotiations by telling me that they believe my client, Pettitte, will almost assuredly miss a large chunk of time in 2011 and that they wanted to pay my client based on that assumption, I’d thank them for their time and consideration, and then I’d tell them to get back to me if they changed their mind, and the next sound they heard on the phone would be a dial tone.
    
    Let them ponder their $190 million payroll with Sergio Mitre and Ivan Nova holding down two of the spots, and the ramifications that will have on the bullpen, all for the sake of trying to save a couple million dollars. The Yankees will be calling back mighty quick.
    - bonestock94
      
      Based on being a 38/39 year old pitcher with an injury history. Hardly a stretch.
- Doug
  
  you offer him what he’s worth, about $12M or so. if he says it’ll take > $15M, you say thanks for the memories
  - Gonzo
    
    How’d that work for Jeter and Rivera?
    - Doug
      
      3 wrongs don’t make a right
      - Gonzo
        
        Just saying it’s a trend.
        
        bonestock94
        
        Not a trend for Pettitte.
        
        Gonzo
        
        He’s laid the groundwork if he wants to comeback. He said if he does decide to come back, he would comeback to the Yanks as long as he wasn’t insulted or lowballed.
        
        bonestock94
        
        It wasn’t a lowball 12 months ago why would it be now?
        
        Bulldozer
        
        12 months ago, the rotation looked different.
  - MikeD
    
    If you offer him what he’s worth, then you offer him more than $12 million. I’m really not sure how the Yankees have consistently gotten away with underpaying Pettitte all these years. Well, I do. It’s been a poor negotiating tactic by Pettitte. He can undo that this year if he comes back.
    
    Based on the value of a win, he still delivered approximately $10 million in value in 2010, and that was with the time missed because of the groin. He was on pace for a 3.4-4.0 WAR season, which is right on target for what he’d done the prior four seasons, delivering between 3.5 and 4.5 WAR a year. The prior three seasons, based on Fangraphs value chart, he’d delivered between $16.3 and $19.9 in value. (I should note I really don’t buy into Fangraphs value charts!) And that doesn’t even include the extra pitching and value he delivers in the post season.
    
    Finally, he will be on a one-year contact, limiting the exposure to the team, which means he can ask for above-market value.
    
    If Pettitte put himself on the market, the offers would start at $15 and go up from there. He’s limited himself by how he’s handled negotiations, but he doesn’t have to do that this time around. The Yankees stuck it to him a few years back with the incentive contract. He can stick it back to them this time, and they’ll be happy to have him back.
    - Doug
      
      “Based on the value of a win, he still delivered approximately $10 million in value in 2010, and that was with the time missed because of the groin.”
      
      and since at 39 years old, he’s more than likely to land on the DL once or twice this season as well, his market value is about $12M.
      
      again, if he asks for $15M, thanks for the memories
Bill

I’m sure if you explain to Andy that he’s being an asshole because you have not received enough Yankee news lately, he’ll come to a decision quickly.
bonestock94

Oh good.
http://www.facebook.com/cecala Joseph Cecala

Somewhere in the world, Brett Favre smiles.
Midland TX

Some of you are seriously challenged in the sense-of-humor department. IMHO Casually referring to Pettitte as “this asshole” is somewhere between 4x-8x funnier than a lame attempt at sarcasm or irony bracketed by “/” and “‘d”.
theyankeewarrior

So, basically, he doesn’t want to retire. He wants that itch to come back. He wants to want to play. I think by February, he will be in pinstripes again.

Now the question is: Do the Yanks sit back and wait for him? I would still love for them to go out and get a quality starter.
I am not the droids you’re looking for

$5 million base plus $400k per start. That’d make me pretty happy :)