Andy Pettitte Lucky to Receive $10m Yankee Offer

By Joe Pietaro
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Updated: December 13, 2008

Veteran Southpaw Far from his Former Self; Should Be Grateful

It’s hard to fault Andy Pettitte for trying to shake the Yankee tree for as much money as he can. With the organization throwing money around as if it grew on the proverbial tree, the 36-year-old figures this may be his last shot at cashing in. The way his second half went last year, he may be overestimating his market value by a large margin.

The Yanks are offering him $10 million for one year and Pettitte wants the $16 million he earned the past two seasons in the Bronx. A 14-14 mark with an ERA of 4.54 will not help his cause, especially when you consider that he went 2-7 in his last 11 starts.

In case Pettitte forgot, he did state all summer long that he wanted to pitch in the new Yankee Stadium and that there aren’t many teams burning up his phone line with offers. This is a chance for him to go out gracefully the way he wants to and make a nice payday on top of it.

Even if Pettitte returns, his place in the rotation would be number four at best. The offer that general manager Brian Cashman made to him in person at his Houston home will not be on the table forever. The Yankees are looking to ink another free agent hurler, such as A.J. Burnett, Derek Lowe or Ben Sheets – all who are more effective than Pettitte.

Even if Burnett accepts the five-year, $80 million package from the Yankees, Pettitte may still have a spot on the team. But he has to keep in mind that he is not exactly the same pitcher he was when he joined the Astros as a free agent in 2003. He is older, suffered arm injuries and went through the Mitchell Report – HGH incident.

This will in all likelihood be Pettitte’s final season. It would be appropriate for him to finish up in a place that he is welcomed and feels comfortable in. Is $10 million such an insult? When the Bronx Bombers are giving a 300-pounder money that he wasn’t even asking for, it just may be.