The New York Times
By TYLER KEPNER and JACK CURRY
Published: December 9, 2006
Andy Pettitte was scheduled to leave with his father, Tom, tomorrow for a
long-awaited deer-hunting trip in South Texas. It was supposed to be a week
for the Pettittes to relax before Christmas, a chance for a father and a son
to bond.
But with the vacation fast approaching, Tom knew that Andy was restless. Andy
was trying to decide if he wanted to return and pitch for the Yankees, his
first team and his first love, or remain with his hometown Houston Astros. So
a concerned Tom offered some fatherly advice Thursday night.
“He was totally agonizing over this,” Tom Pettitte said. “I told him, ‘
You really shouldn’t drag this out too long.’ ”
One day later, Pettitte heeded that advice and decided his past would now
become his present and his future. Pettitte and the Yankees agreed to a
one-year, $16 million contract, with a $16 million player option for the
second year. Pettitte, a crucial part of the Yankees’ last four championship
teams, is back in New York.
The Yankees confirmed the deal with a brief statement from General Manager
Brian Cashman, and Pettitte’s agent, Randy Hendricks, confirmed the value in
an e-mail message. Pettitte, whom the Yankees did not make available for
comment, gave the Yankees his oral assurance that he would not exercise his
player option if he was injured.
“We have preliminarily agreed to terms with Andy Pettitte on a contract to
pitch for the New York Yankees, pending the passing of a physical examination,
” Cashman’s statement said.
The Astros had offered Pettitte a one-year, $12 million deal, but rejected
Hendricks’s counteroffer of $14 million with an option. The Yankees
privately believed that Pettitte preferred to stay in Houston and knew they
needed a difference-maker in their proposal.
“It was all about the second year,” said Tim Purpura, the Astros’ general
manager. “We had not even thought about a second year. That was not
something even brought to us as a request until Wednesday. That was just not
something we were prepared to do.
“Would we have negotiated on a one-year deal from where we were at?
Possibly. But the two-year portion of it, that was just difficult for us.”
The Astros had all but given up hope of re-signing Pettitte on Thursday, when
they nearly traded for starter Jon Garland of the Chicago White Sox. Sensing
the momentum on their side, Yankees officials worked deep into the night to
come up with a deal. Manager Joe Torre and shortstop Derek Jeter have also
been lobbying Pettitte to return.
Tom Pettitte insisted that his son’s decision was not motivated by money. At
34, Pettitte is only seven months older than Jason Schmidt, who signed a
three-year, $47 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“All of this stuff about this being about money was blown out of proportion,
” Tom Pettitte said. “If he wanted to, he could have asked for the kind of
deal that Jason Schmidt got. He didn’t do that. That’s why he only asked
for one year.”
Tom Pettitte added: “He basically got his answer from the Astros and he
figured out that the door to Houston was closing. The door with New York was
open.”
Pettitte’s return makes the Yankees the strong favorite to sign Roger
Clemens if Clemens, 44, decides to keep pitching. Clemens and Pettitte are
workout partners and close friends, and have been teammates for eight years.
Clemens was vacationing this week and seemed to benefit from waiting until
June to start pitching last season. There are several incentives to stay in
his hometown, including the fact that his son Koby plays in the Astros’ farm
system and the team allows him to stay in Houston when he is not scheduled to
pitch on the road.
Torre has said he would not allow any player such privileges, but the Yankees
could always reconsider. For now, the Astros still hope to bring Clemens
back. The Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers would also be interested.
“He’s a free agent, and he can do what he chooses when he chooses to do it,
” Purpura said. “But certainly, we have had a great relationship with him.
He has a 10-year personal-services contract that will keep the relationship
strong, obviously Koby plays in our organization, and we have done some
things with regard to his ability to be apart from the ball club that have
certainly been unique.”
Even if the Yankees do not get Clemens, they believe they scored a coup in
signing Pettitte, who will take a physical in about 10 days. The Yankees did
not find many other attractive options in the free-agent market, and the
pitchers they liked — Ted Lilly and Gil Meche — signed contracts of at
least four years.
In Pettitte, the Yankees found a proven New York performer who was willing to
take a short-term deal. But bringing him back was about more than sentiment;
Pettitte can still pitch.
Elbow problems limited him in 2004, but Pettitte went 17-9 the next year and
finished second to Clemens in earned run average, at 2.39. He led the
National League in starts last season, with 35, and went 14-13 for the team
with the lowest batting average in the league.
The Astros’ frequent struggle for runs was a constant source of frustration
to Clemens and Pettitte, who needs only 14 victories to reach 200 in his
career. His next victory will be his 150th as a Yankee.
Pettitte’s desire to live year-round in Houston was the main reason he left
after 2003. When Pettitte told his family he was returning to New York, his
father said Andy’s two youngest children started crying because they thought
they would have to sell their house in Texas.
Once they were assured that was not the case and the family would maintain
its home near Houston, Tom said they stopped crying and resumed playing.
The last time Pettitte was a free agent, his father had wanted him to stay
with the Yankees. Tom felt that Andy, who was 149-78 in nine seasons, could
make a run at Whitey Ford’s club record of 236 victories.
“I never wanted him to leave New York to begin with, as far as where his
baseball numbers were going to stack up,” Tom said. “I always thought he
could get to 200 wins as a Yankee. Now the ironic thing is he’ll have a
chance to win his 200th game with the Yankees.”
In Pettitte, Randy Johnson and Kei Igawa, the Japanese pitcher who should
sign with the team soon, the Yankees could have three left-handers to join
Chien-Ming Wang and Mike Mussina in the rotation.
Pettitte’s addition makes the Yankees more likely to trade the disappointing
Carl Pavano if he shows he is healthy in spring training. It also keeps the
Yankees from rushing the prospects Phil Hughes, Humberto Sanchez and Tyler
Clippard.
Pettitte was once in their position, a pinstriped prospect trying to make an
impression. The one he made for nine seasons was powerful, to him and to the
Yankees, who were eager to give him a second act.
“The Yankees were always a special part of his life, no question,” Tom
Pettitte said. “When he was deciding to pitch down here, he said: ‘I’m a
Yankee. I’ll always be a Yankee.’ That’s how he understood it. Now he gets
to go back and be a Yankee again.”
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