Andy Pettitte Retires: A Fond Farewell
February 4, 2011 · Daniel Bartemus · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
It’s a sad day in Yankees Universe.
Sad because the organization is now one step closer to being completely rid of all faces from the Yankee dynasty that lasted from 1996 to 2001 after Andy Pettitte announced his retirement at Yankee Stadium Friday morning. The Core Four of Pettitte, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera—the only remaining members—is officially down to three.
Sad because it was clear after last year that Pettitte had another good season or two left in him.
Sad because New York desperately needed him to return in 2011 and maybe again in 2012. The starting rotation is a mess and that’s as official as No. 46′s retirement.
With that said, now is a good time to reflect.
When I think of Pettitte, one word immediately comes to mind: winner.
He never had the best stuff. His fastball never reached the high-90s. He wasn’t a strikeout machine, and I can’t count the number of times I heard former manager Joe Torre or current manager Joe Girardi say the following after one of his starts: “Andy struggled a bit tonight. He really had to battle out there to get it done.”
But you know what? He usually delivered. Two-hundred and forty times to be exact, and 19 times in the postseason, a Major League Baseball record.
In total, Pettitte made 479 starts over 16 seasons, 13 with the Yankees and three with the Houston Astros. He recorded 25 complete games, 2,251 strikeouts, an earned run average of 3.88 and pitched over 200 innings 10 times, with two others falling short by 10 innings or less.
Anything about those numbers jump out at you? Probably not, but how about the fact that he lost 138 games, or 102 fewer than he won?
The early word on Pettitte’s Hall of Fame chances is he will fall just short, but history suggests otherwise. Every pitcher that won 100 or more games than he lost has been immortalized in Cooperstown.
Pettitte deserves the Hall. Yes his numbers aren’t that of the average pitcher to receive the highest honor. Yes, there were times that he undoubtedly benefited from the support of the always electric Yankees offense, but the franchise also won a ton because of Pettitte.
In all fives championship years, he won two or more decisions in the playoffs and three times he went through without a defeat, the last coming in 2009 when he won four of the 12 games needed to be crowned World Series champions. In the 2003 postseason that ended with a World Series loss to the Florida Marlins, he finished 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA in five starts.
Like it or not, the committee should take into consideration that he won most of his games under the pressure of the “championship or bust” mentality held by the late George Steinbrenner, and the pressure of New York City and its spoiled fan base.
Scoff if you will, but one future Hall of Famer, Randy Johnson, tried and failed. A countless number of frontline starters couldn’t take the heat, with names such as Carl Pavano, Kevin Brown, and Javier Vazquez coming to mind. I think it’s safe to add A.J. Burnett to that list.
There was also a report this winter that 2009 Cy Young winner Zack Greinke would veto a trade to New York because he knew he couldn’t handle to constant anxiety of pitching in the city.
Easy Andy took it in stride and produced in a way so many others couldn’t.
He won 21 games twice and 14 or more in 12 of his 16 years. Again, not spectacular, but steady. Some will say steady shouldn’t get you to Cooperstown.
A league personnel director called Pettitte the greatest No. 3 starter of his generation. For those of you that believe that to be an insult, consider that once the calendar changes to October, it takes at least three great starters, but in most cases four, to win a championship.
If Pettitte is considered to be the best No. 3 of his era, how does he not get into the Hall?
There’s always that admission to using Human Growth Hormone early this decade to recover faster from injury. Because he was one of few to sit in front of the media and give a heartfelt apology and explanation for his actions, it’s almost like people forget to even associate Pettitte with the hundreds of other users.
You can bet those with a vote won’t forget, and that might be what ultimately keeps him from receiving a bronze bust.
I’ll remember Pettitte best for his performance in two games. The first came in Game 5 of the 1996 World Series against the Atlanta Braves.
The series was tied 2-2. A 24-year-old Pettitte was facing John Smoltz, baseball’s premier pitcher at the time, on the road.
Smoltz was incredible, going eight innings, striking out 10 batters and allowing just a single run on four hits.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, that single run was all Pettitte would need, as he pitched 8.1 scoreless innings, allowing just five hits while striking out four.
Pettitte one-upped Smoltz and the Yankees won 1-0 to take a 3-2 series lead back to New York, where they would wrap up the first of five championships in a 13-year span.
My second favorite memory of his came in Game 3 of the 2009 World Series against Philadelphia. Once again, pitching on the road in a tie series, Pettitte delivered both on the mound and at the plate in one of those vintage “he really had to battle to get it done” showings.
New York trailed 3-0 early, and 3-2 in the fifth when the easiest out on the lineup card stepped in the box with Nick Swisher in scoring position. Pettitte lined a single to center, driving in the game’s tying run and giving his Yankees all the momentum they would need to steal a much-needed road victory.
He pitched six solid innings, allowing four runs on five hits, while striking out seven over the course of 104 pitches. New York won 8-5 and clinched the series in six games for team title No. 27.
That night was a perfect example of a winner doing whatever it took to do what he does best: win.
Maybe his stuff wasn’t overpowering, and maybe his numbers pale in comparison to the likes of Pedro Martinez. Maybe Cooperstown will accept that and maybe it won’t.
One thing is for certain, and that is Monument Park at Yankee Stadium will have a place for Andy Pettitte. He’ll have a bronze plate describing a long list of credentials that better that of most Yankee greats.
Ultimately, that’s where Pettitte belongs because that’s where the finest players of professional sport’s winningest organization rest.
Thanks for the memories, Andy, wherever you end up.
For more, visit my website at www.pointbartemus.com, a sports forum.
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