Dec. 10, 2003, 4:49PM
Report: Free agent Pettitte on verge of deal with Astros
By RICHARD JUSTICE
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
ANDY PETTITTE
Pitcher
Age: 31
Date of birth: June 15, 1972
Place of birth: Baton Rouge, LA
HT: 6-5 WT: 225
Bats/Throws: L/L
Salary: $11,500,000
MLB Seasons: 8
Drafted: NY Yankees in 1991 (22nd round).
Free agent lefthander Andy Pettitte, one of baseball’s winningest pitchers, is on the verge of an agreement with the Astros, industry sources said today.
The sources cautioned that some details remained to be worked out and that the deal still could fall apart if the New York Yankees made a last-ditch effort to re-sign Pettitte.
Pettitte has already taken a physical, and Astros owner Drayton McLane and agents Randy and Alan Hendricks are attempting to complete the deal within 24 hours, sources said.
Barring a snag, Pettitte would give the Astros the kind of bona fide No. 1 starting pitcher they haven’t had in several years. His departure would be a blow for the Yankees, who had said re-signing him was their No. 1 off season priority.
Pettitte, 31, would join Roy Oswalt and Wade Miller to make the front three of the Astros’ starting rotation as strong as any in baseball. During nine seasons with the Yankees, he has won 149 games and is coming off a season in which he went 21-8 with a 4.02 ERA. The Yankees were 23-10 in his 33 starts.
He won 17 of his last 20 decisions.
He’s the first pitcher in the post-expansion era to win at least 12 games in each of his first nine seasons. He 13-8 in 30 postseason starts. The Astros were considered longshots when Pettitte became a free agent. He’d said his preference was to remain with the Yankees.
With 149 victories, he’s ninth on the Yankees’ all-time victory list and appeared on his way to being remembered as one of the franchise’s all-time greats.
However, it appears the club never budged much from its original offer of around $30 million over three years. Pettitte’s father, Tom, told the New York Times on Tuesday that the family was frustrated by the Yankees’ seeming disinterest in signing Pettitte.
Meanwhile, the Astros began courting him almost from the moment he became a free agent and quickly laid out the parameters of their offer. Ironically, the signing of Pettitte comes a few weeks after the Astros traded closer Billy Wagner. At the time of that deal, they said they could no longer afford his $8 million salary.
Now, they’re poised to add a player expected to make even more than that next season.
Report: Free agent Pettitte on verge of deal with Astros
By RICHARD JUSTICE
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
ANDY PETTITTE
Pitcher
Age: 31
Date of birth: June 15, 1972
Place of birth: Baton Rouge, LA
HT: 6-5 WT: 225
Bats/Throws: L/L
Salary: $11,500,000
MLB Seasons: 8
Drafted: NY Yankees in 1991 (22nd round).
Free agent lefthander Andy Pettitte, one of baseball’s winningest pitchers, is on the verge of an agreement with the Astros, industry sources said today.
The sources cautioned that some details remained to be worked out and that the deal still could fall apart if the New York Yankees made a last-ditch effort to re-sign Pettitte.
Pettitte has already taken a physical, and Astros owner Drayton McLane and agents Randy and Alan Hendricks are attempting to complete the deal within 24 hours, sources said.
Barring a snag, Pettitte would give the Astros the kind of bona fide No. 1 starting pitcher they haven’t had in several years. His departure would be a blow for the Yankees, who had said re-signing him was their No. 1 off season priority.
Pettitte, 31, would join Roy Oswalt and Wade Miller to make the front three of the Astros’ starting rotation as strong as any in baseball. During nine seasons with the Yankees, he has won 149 games and is coming off a season in which he went 21-8 with a 4.02 ERA. The Yankees were 23-10 in his 33 starts.
He won 17 of his last 20 decisions.
He’s the first pitcher in the post-expansion era to win at least 12 games in each of his first nine seasons. He 13-8 in 30 postseason starts. The Astros were considered longshots when Pettitte became a free agent. He’d said his preference was to remain with the Yankees.
With 149 victories, he’s ninth on the Yankees’ all-time victory list and appeared on his way to being remembered as one of the franchise’s all-time greats.
However, it appears the club never budged much from its original offer of around $30 million over three years. Pettitte’s father, Tom, told the New York Times on Tuesday that the family was frustrated by the Yankees’ seeming disinterest in signing Pettitte.
Meanwhile, the Astros began courting him almost from the moment he became a free agent and quickly laid out the parameters of their offer. Ironically, the signing of Pettitte comes a few weeks after the Astros traded closer Billy Wagner. At the time of that deal, they said they could no longer afford his $8 million salary.
Now, they’re poised to add a player expected to make even more than that next season.
12-10-2003 03:03 PM #8
Sr Muny
RX Senior <HR><DL class=userinfo_extra><DT>Join Date</DT><DD>Sep 2004</DD><DT>Posts</DT><DD>2,122</DD></DL>
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He is done.
hno:
http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2010/06/15/happy-birthday-andy-pettitte/
Happy birthday Andy PettittePosted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Jun 15, 2010
Andy Pettitte turned 38 years old today. Maybe he’ll find an all-star selection gift wrapped at his locker.
Associated Press photo
Sr Muny
RX Senior <HR><DL class=userinfo_extra><DT>Join Date</DT><DD>Sep 2004</DD><DT>Posts</DT><DD>2,122</DD></DL>
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<HR>
He is done.
hno:http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2010/06/15/happy-birthday-andy-pettitte/
Happy birthday Andy PettittePosted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Jun 15, 2010
Andy Pettitte turned 38 years old today. Maybe he’ll find an all-star selection gift wrapped at his locker.
Associated Press photo
