Verducci: Pettitte Could Sign With Evil Empire by Friday

by rastronomicals on Dec 5, 2006 12:47 PM CST in Events

From SI.com's Tom Verducci comes a distressing rumor:

The free-agent left-hander, who is strongly considering retirement, is said to be intrigued with the idea of returning to pinstripes and "could possibly have a deal by the end of the week" with New York, according to a baseball source familiar with the negotiations.

True or not, this underscores what I'd told Stros Bro in an email this morning: if you can do a deal with Schmidt for sure now, doesn't that beat doing a deal--maybe--with Pettitte later?

I won't bark up the loyalty tree, coz that'd get me nowhere, but if true, this story would show Pettitte to be at best disingenous and at worst guilty of deception in his statements to the club.

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As much as I want Pettitte back

A change in perception needs to take place for the Stros. I have never been a fan of weakness in any aspect of life, and bowing to hometown FA is mighty weak.

If at any time Tim and Drayton think waiting for Pettitte is hurting the team they SHOULD not only explore, but go in another direction.

Also, I have been thinking what trade would work for Jennings?

Burke will be an All-Star, eventually!

by Shamus on Dec 5, 2006 4:26 PM CST reply actions

If you can

for sure make a deal with Schmidt, then you could basically care less what Andy wants to do... well not care less, but you could definitely sit back and sip on the nice tropical drink with your feet propped up and not worry about Andy. If we landed Schmidt and then Pettitte wanted to come back, then sure, glad to have you, but I'm not holding my breath.

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Dec 5, 2006 7:12 PM CST reply actions

My New Favorite Rumor

The trade for Jake Peavy.

by rastronomicals on Dec 5, 2006 9:59 PM CST up reply actions

is Pettitte worth 15 mil?

I don't think so, he's a decent pitcher but he's not dominating like Clemens or Oswalt. I think the 15 mil that the Yankee's are reportedly offering is about 10 mil more than I think Pettitte should make wearing our pinstripes. Let him go wear theirs.

by TimStros on Dec 5, 2006 7:49 PM CST reply actions

15 million a year

for Pettitte is overpaying... but I still think he's worth around 10 or so. He was pretty damn good after the All-star break last season... I mean 2.8 ERA good. Something else I just noticed... last year after the All-star break he was fantastic... 1.69 ERA after the all star break in 2005. Pettitte has still shown that he is a dominant pitcher and can be... he just had a rough first half last season.

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Dec 5, 2006 10:13 PM CST up reply actions

Umm.

I was just reading around this morning and this quote came from the New York Daily News, Hendricks says

"The Dec. 22 date was only chosen by me because, by that time, all the free agent pitchers will have presumably been signed, and if Andy hadn't made up his mind by then, he would conceivably have to pitch in a place he wouldn't want to be. I fully expect he will be signed by then."

Is he trying to make his case based on the fact that if Pettitte doesn't make up his mind soon he's going to have to pitch for the devil rays? Sorry not really all that interesting just somewhat funny to me. I hear the weathers nice in Tampa.

by TimStros on Dec 6, 2006 12:12 PM CST up reply actions

Please,

don't use the "disingenous" stuff with ballplayers. He did the same thing then to the Yanks in 03 when he said NY was the only place he ever wants to play. As much as most of you think Clemens is god, you will hate him more than the world when he signs with Boston. Most ballplayers don't care about anyone but themselves.

by ReLaunch on Dec 5, 2006 7:49 PM CST reply actions

I for one

don't think Clemens is god. The fact that he is signing half year contracts and doesn't always travel with the team and is making bookoos of money and isn't really helping the team in wins makes me not really care. I would rather him sign with the 'stros but I also would rather him not keep everyone hanging like he has the last couple of years. Clemens is an awesome pitcher, but he's no Roy O :)~

by TimStros on Dec 5, 2006 9:37 PM CST up reply actions

Actually, I Think Disingenuous is Accurate

I'd have no issue with Pettitte if he'd come out and said, "I've got to look at my options."

But he didn't do that, having talked up that wanna pitch at home stuff in 2004.

See what I mean? The only reason we expect any loyalty from Pettitte is because of the things he himself told us.

And if this Yankee stuff goes down, then why the retirement ruse? Most free agents are in fact honest about what they're gonna do. They may not stay with the team they were with, but they make statements like "I'd like to stay if they can make a competitive offer," or "They haven't respected me and I'm leaving."

It may turn out that Pettitte hasn't been forthright in that fashion, which is why I usd the word I did.

by rastronomicals on Dec 5, 2006 9:59 PM CST up reply actions

Then I guess

Clemens wasn't honest when he said he was going to retire after the 03 season. It can't be okay in one situation and not okay in another. Also, Pettitte is saying he is considering retiring, Clemens said he was retiring.

by ReLaunch on Dec 6, 2006 6:06 AM CST up reply actions

Clemens Has Been Disingenuous Plenty

but because McLane views Clemens as an expenditure on top of payroll, it's never hurt the Astros.

If Yankee fans cared, or accepted Clemens as a "true Yankee" or some bullshit--which I think they don't, on both counts--then they'd probably have a case against Clemens for his shenanigans in '03.

The reason why I'm getting on Pettitte is because his games are costing the Astros, is all.

by rastronomicals on Dec 6, 2006 8:17 AM CST up reply actions

You all make me sad, lol...

Can we please wait and see how this all plays out (besides we know how the east coast media is re: Roger and Andy) before we go jumping off of cliffs like a troop of lemmings?

There's really no point to getting all upset until it's a done deal (and it doesn't look so much like it is at the present time--Hendricks has already issued his sorda ambiguous denial of the SI stuff). It sounds like either way we should know soon enough and that's a good thing.

If, when all is said and done he's a Yankee, I'll join some of y'all in the 'Andy has betrayed us' camp and offer in 1000 lashes with a wet noodle (for Andy, obviously, lol!).

Anyway, Hendricks quote is in the article below.

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4382218.html

by StrosDux on Dec 6, 2006 2:26 AM CST reply actions

Well

I'm not saying that Pettitte will sign with New York; just bringing up for examination a report that says so.

What I AM saying is that the whole thing emphasizes that what you should probably do is do a deal now with somebody willing to sign rather than saving yourself for someone who may not come through.

As I suggest above, Pettitte's games remind me of the way the world passed us by while we waited for Carlo$ Beltran's decision, and that didn't work out so well.

After all, Andy's got a little bit of risk involved because of his chronic elbow. I know one ex-Yankee fan who thought the Yankees' signing Pettitte would be stupid.

Once again, if Andy wants to come back, great, let's do it, but if he can't give us a decision, let's go get Schmidt, let's go get Peavy.

by rastronomicals on Dec 6, 2006 8:23 AM CST up reply actions

Meh, it wasn't so much...

that I thought Andy was necessary,although this 1-year contract stuff takes a good deal (if not all) of the risk out of the proposition.

It was more about everyone freakin' out about it being a betrayal. It amused me in the early hours of the morning.That's all I can say, lol.

by StrosDux on Dec 6, 2006 11:48 AM CST up reply actions

Garner Weighs In

Reported on ESPN, for what it might be worth:

I certainly am tainted by my biased feeling that he wants to be in Houston. He needs to be in Houston and we want him to be in Houston . . . And his family is dying for him to be in Houston. His kids are pining every day at school wondering, 'Oh, daddy, please don't go anywhere else. Stay in Houston.' I could hear it all over the city.
. . .
The first few times I talked to him, he wasn't sure he was going to play . . . He said he was going to make the decision later. The most recent conversation, he was more than leaning, he was really considering coming back and playing. I guess he hadn't made a definitive decision -- 'Yes, I'm definitely coming back to play' -- but it was more like, 'I'm getting very seriously interested in doing it.'

by rastronomicals on Dec 6, 2006 8:34 AM CST reply actions

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