Kuzul

Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman tweeted this morning that “freddy garcia has leg up for no. 4 starter spot but its wide open for no. 5.”

The veteran right-hander was signed this offseason by the Yankees to provide some depth for what looks to be a shaky back-end of the rotation.

With the rotation being headlined by ace CC Sabathia, young righty Phil Hughes and the inconsistent AJ Burnett, the Yankees are looking to capitalize on production from the final two spots.

Garcia, largely considered to be the favorite for the fourth spot, leads a group of starters who are vying for the last two spots in the rotation. Bartolo Colon, Sergio Mitre, Ivan Nova, David Phelps, Hector Noesi and Andrew Brackman are fighting desperately for that last spot, now that it seems Garcia has cemented himself as the fourth starter.

Out of the aforementioned group, look for Nova to win the battle. Look out for David Phelps, though. Last season he split between the Yankees Double-A and Triple-A affiliates and was very successful.

In Double-A for the Trenton Thunder, Phelps pitched to a 6-0 record with a 2.04 ERA in 14 starts. In 88.1 innings he struck out 84.

After being called up to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, he pitched to a 4-2 record with a 3.07 ERA in 11 starts. His strikeout totals went down, however, as he struck out just 57 batters in 70.1 innings.

Phelps is a finesse pitcher who likes to get ahead in the count and pitch to contact. He has command of all of his pitches and is not afraid to throw any of his pitches in any count.

With Garcia occupying the fourth spot, the Yankees have a relatively solid front four if everyone produces as expected. Garcia should match last year’s successes, when he went 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA.

The Yankees would love an ERA closer to 4.00, but the offense should keep Garcia off the hook in some high-scoring games.

As spring training continues to take shape, the race for the fifth spot will continue to grow. But for now, Garcia is No. 4.

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Whether he becomes a one-year wonder remains to be seen, but Carlos Gonzalez will enter the 2011 season as one of the most feared hitters in the National League. Actually, in the NL West, the only hitter that may give pitchers nightmares more than Gonzalez is his teammate, Troy Tulowitzki.

Gonzalez broke out in a huge way in 2010. In 145 games, he hit .336/.376/.598 with 111 runs scored, 197 hits, 34 doubles, 9 triples, 34 homers, 117 RBI’s and 26 stolen bases. 

He led the National League in hits, total bases and batting average. CarGo also finished third in the NL MVP voting, won his first Gold Glove and also his first Silver Slugger.

Prior to his enormous 2010 season, Gonzalez played in parts of two seasons with the Athletics and Rockies. Combined, he played in 174 games, scored 84 runs, 152 hits, 36 doubles, 8 triples, 17 homers, 55 RBI’s and 20 stolen bases.

He always had tons of potential, but he never showed any signs of cashing in on any of it.

This season, that player could easily be Cardinals’ center fielder, Colby Rasmus.

Like Gonzalez, Rasmus is a young lefty with some pop in his bat. Really, the only thing different about the two is that Rasmus has been an everyday player in his first two seasons in the bigs.

In 2009, his rookie season, Rasmus hit .251/.307/.407 with 16 home runs and 52 RBI’s. He had 119 hits and 22 doubles.

2010 saw slightly more success for Rasmus, as he hit .276/.361/.498 with 23 home runs and 66 RBI’s.  He had 128 hits and 28 doubles.

Rasmus made slight improvements between his rookie and sophomore campaigns, but expect signs of greatness this season.

Rasmus clearly has the potential to produce at the level Gonzalez did in 2010 and he may channel that potential this season.

A season like Gonzalez’s 2010 may be a reality for Rasmus this season.  He has a lot of power and has the ability to drive in runs with the lineup that he hits in.  Stealing 26 bases might not happen, but a respectable 15 is a possibility.

So pitchers, beware.  Rasmus could be in line for a .300/.370/.550 season with 30+ dingers and 100+ RBI’s, and he could be one his way to becoming one of the more feared hitters in the National League.

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Just to clarify:

Yes, I know that Adam Wainwright is in St. Louis.

And yes, I know that the Yankees are in no way directly related to him.

Yet, Adam Wainwright’s injury could spell bad news for the Yankees as they begin their long climb back to the top.

We all know of the Yankees’ rotation woes. It’s been well-documented through every single form of media available to the masses. Nos. 1 through 3 are a lock, and that’s not saying much as Hughes and Burnett are question marks, and Nos. 4 and 5 are up for grabs.

The Yankees have plenty of options for those last two spots, but none that they are absolutely in love with. Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon, Ivan Nova, Sergio Mitre, Andrew Brackman, Hector Noesi and David Phelps are all in competition for those last spots, and each one is just as inconsistent as the last.

There are a few intriguing free agents left, such as veteran Kevin Millwood, the oft-injured Jeremy Bonderman, left-hander Doug Davis and even the injury magnet himself, Ben Sheets.

The Yankees would prefer to offer any free-agent starter a minor league deal, this way, there’s no guarantee that they’ll crack the rotation. They would rather have a competition this spring, and rightly so.

Now, even if they wanted to sign any of the aforementioned free agents, they’ll have very stiff competition from the Cardinals.

The Cardinals can, and probably will, offer a major league contract to any free-agent pitcher they chase after, and, of course, a major league contract versus a minor league contract is a joke. 

The Yankees already attempted to entice Millwood with a minor league deal, but to no avail. He has chosen to hold out for a major league contract, and he may get one in St. Louis.

Having Millwood could really help the Bombers. An innings eater his entire career, Millwood has the potential to give the Yanks 180-190 solid innings. For argument’s sake, let’s just say that Sergio Mitre occupies the spot that Millwood doesn’t.

The only time that Mitre has cracked the 100-inning plateau was in 2007 when he threw 149 innings for the Marlins. He was 5-8 with a 4.65 ERA. In my personal opinion, keeping Mitre out of the rotation is incentive enough to sign Millwood.

Remember that Chris Carpenter to the Yankees rumor?

Well, you can forget about that one now.

I’m not sure how reliable that rumor was, but it’s moot now. The Cardinals will be extremely reluctant to trade their ace now that his co-ace has gone down for the season. 

Adam Wainwright’s injury affects more than just the Cardinals.  The Yankees will have to fight even harder to attract some of the remaining free agent arms.  If not, the Yankees are going to have to catch lightning in a bottle in 2011 and hope that Hughes, Burnett and the fourth and fifth starters will produce.

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Thirty-six year old Justine Siegal has a passion for the game of baseball, and this has allowed her to make great strides in the sport.

No, she’s not a player—that would be truly remarkable. What makes this event so special is that, for some reason, it’s flown somewhat under the radar.

Siegal has spent the past four years as an assistant baseball coach at Springfield College in Massachusetts. Aside from coaching baseball at the college, she has been working toward her Ph.D. in sports and exercise psychology.

During her time coaching at Springfield, she became the first woman in history to coach a professional baseball team. In 2009 she coached the the Brockton Rox, an independent league team in the Canadian-American Association, to a 56-37 record.

Siegal, a Cleveland native, approached Indians GM Chris Antonetti with a proposal during the Winter Meetings this past December. 

She wanted to throw batting practice to the Tribe in spring training.

So yesterday, Siegal threw four-seam fastballs during batting practice to a group of five Minor Leaguers. After watching the session, members of the Cleveland brass were impressed enough to let her face a few Major Leaguers.

With her 13-year old daughter watching, Siegal threw batting practice to catchers Lou Marson, Paul Phillips and Juan Apodaca.

When interviewed after the history-making appearance, Siegal said, “I’ve been thinking about this almost every hour for the past month. I’m excited to be here and to have done a good job.”

Siegal had been notified about the arrangement three weeks prior and was itching to get out there ever since. 

Teams around the league were very impressed with the performance. So impressed even, that she will be throwing batting practice for the Athletics on Wednesday.

Justine Siegal’s story is one that’s certainly good for the game of baseball. Women may never actually see the field but, who knows, women could one day have a much greater impact in the sport.

The involvement of women is integral to the growth and development of the game. When more women participate, more women watch.

With a larger fan base possibly on the horizon, baseball could be entering yet another period of prosperity, success and glory.

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Last season, it was Adrian Gonzalez and Cliff Lee.  This year, trade deadline talks will most likely center around the biggest hitter in the game, Prince Fielder.

We all know that being talked about at the deadline is not a guarantee that you will be shipped out; just look at Adrian Gonzalez.

Gonzalez was discussed the entire month before the deadline in a potential deal with the Red Sox.  The Padres were still in contention, though, and they felt that the loss of Gonzalez would cripple their playoff chances.

Here we are now, several months later, and Gonzalez is finally in a Red Sox uniform.  It took some time, and a few top prospects, but the persistence of the Red Sox paid off.

Prince Fielder will be in a similar situation this season.

Fielder’s current contract is set to expire after the 2011 season, and he’s represented by Scott Boras.  We can be sure that if a trade is made involving Fielder, then his new team will have to offer up a hefty extension—possibly in the Mark Teixeira range.

One of the most consistent boppers in the league since his first full season in 2005, Prince Fielder would likely command a high price tag for any team attempting to acquire him.  Some teams that will likely be interested include the Orioles, Rangers, Angels, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants and possibly the Mets.

Each of the aforementioned teams either has a glaring hole at first base or has a player that is on his way out.  Each team has the potential to sign him to a big contract after the season, but not all of them may be able to build a large enough package to satisfy the Brewers.

Fielder has hit 192 home runs since 2005, including a 50-home-run season in 2007.  He has 536 RBI’s in his career, with his career high of 141 coming in 2009.  He has a respectable triple slash line of .279/.385/.535 in his career and has even stolen 15 bases.  Obviously not blinding speed, but the 285-pounder (at least that’s what he’s listed as) can at least move a little bit.

The Brewers are aware of his consistent production, and they will look  to capitalize on any deal involving Fielder.  They will likely ask for a package similar to the one the Padres received for Gonzalez, and maybe even a little more, as Fielder is still a younger talent.

At the deadline this year, I see the Cubs and Giants making the biggest push for him.  The Cubs currently have Carlos Pena on a one-year contract and if Fielder is acquired, the Cubs would easily be able to dump him elsewhere.  The Brewers will try and pry shortstop Starlin Castro away, but the Cubs won’t balk at that offer.  An offer with outfielder Brett Jackson and third basemen Josh Vitters is more plausible. 

The Giants have Aubrey Huff at first, but Huff is versatile enough to slot into either corner outfield slot or even third base if Nate Schiertholtz, Pat Burrell or Pablo Sandoval fail to produce.  Any deal with the defending champs will likely include lefty Madison Bumgarner, and the Giants may prefer to hold on to their young star and pursue Fielder during free agency.

With all that being said, Fielder may not even be on the move.  The Brewers look to be a contender this season, and they may choose to hold on to Fielder, as he is going to be an integral part of the team.  Midseason, Fielder could even decide to negotiate a long-term deal with Milwaukee, who will still be players for his services after the 2011 season.

Although the outcome is unpredictable, we can be certain that Prince Fielder will be stealing headlines come this year’s trade deadline.

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Before anybody gets excited here, this is just a hypothetical situation. 

It’s a situation created in order to prove a point, and to create an awareness of the value of top prospects.

But are they really worth the insanely high price tag placed upon them?

That’s what I hope to accomplish with this article. 

By the time you are done reading this, I want you to question the train of thought of general managers around the game when they deem a minor league kid untouchable. 

That’s probably a good place to start—deeming minor leaguers untouchable.

General managers always declare their first round draft choices untouchable. With all they hype surrounding the “future star,” teams hope to bank in on the potential of their newest player. But “potential” is clearly the most important word here.

Prospects like Matt Bush (2004), Brien Taylor (1991), Bryan Bullington (2002), Jeff Clement (2005), and Eric Munson (1999) were all number one overall picks in their respective drafts. They all failed to be quality Major League players. 

They were all untouchable.

Teams rely heavily on their farm system. Whether they actually depend on it for talent, or for exploiting the other team’s desire for prospects, is a question that will continue to be asked for as long as prospects have value in the sport.

The high tier prospects who aren’t untouchable, though, are often shipped off to other teams for established Major Leaguers.

Oftentimes, these deals leave me utterly confused. 

For example, when the Brewers received several months of CC Sabathia for “the next great power hitter” in Matt LaPorta, I was left speechless. Sabathia went on to pitch absolutely lights out, leading Milwaukee to the playoffs, and LaPorta has still yet to make anything of himself in the bigs.

It happens every trade deadline. Countless prospects are shipped out to bring in veterans who already have a good reputation around the league.

This is my question for the teams giving up the established talent: why would you ever do such a thing?

Sure, sometimes GM’s are so enticed by the hype that they salivate when another GM offers their top prospect for a veteran player on their team. But, come on.

Who would you rather have, the player who has actually hit 30 home runs in each of the past three seasons, or the player who has the potential to hit 30 home runs for several years to come?

By now I’m sure you can all tell what my answer is, but think about it. 

What do you think?

So herein lies the question—if you are Cardinals GM John Mozeliak, and Nationals GM Mike Rizzo were to offer you his best prospect, 18-year old Bryce Harper, for the decade’s best slugger, Albert Pujols, would you make the deal?

Harper has been compared to the second coming of Jesus Christ, and everyone in the baseball world expects him to be the next Babe Ruth.

Pujols, on the other hand, is arguably the best player in the game today. He’s already being considered one of the greatest first basemen of all time, and he still has several years ahead of him.

Harper may very well turn out to be the games next legend, but he isn’t one yet— but Pujols is. He is every bit one of the best players this game has ever seen.

So, the game’s best prospect for the game’s current best player. 

Would you pull the trigger?

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So far, I’ve taken quite a beating on my predictions for the American League.  Choosing the Rays to finish last in the AL East stirred up a little bit of debate.  But, hey, it’s all part of the game.  Everyone makes their bold predictions, and that’s mine for the upcoming season.

Will I be correct?

Probably not, but it never hurts to make a bold prediction. 

Now, I will continue with naming my predictions for the worst teams in the National League.  I can promise all of you this: these predictions certainly won’t be as bold as my picking the Rays.  It’s widely assumed that these teams will be the lower tier of the National League.

NL East

It’s pretty safe to say that the Phillies won’t be anywhere near last place this season.  Their stacked rotation will leave the rest of the NL East baffled and fighting for second in the division.

With that being said, the fight for second should be won by the Atlanta Braves, entering their first season without Bobby Cox in quite some time.

Even with an unhealthy Chipper Jones, they stand to be a top team in the National League.  Just imagine if he stays healthy and is productive.  That could be a pretty formidable lineup.

I really believe the Nationals are getting better.  I may be one of the only people around the league who thinks so, but they’re doing good things in Washington.  The addition of Jayson Werth may have been questionable, but they solidified the middle of the order.

The Nationals’ young rotation will come into its own this year, and pitch them to a third-place finish in the tough NL East.

That leaves the Marlins and Mets.

Outside of Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez, the Marlins don’t have much star power.  Sure, they have a big up-and-comer in Mike Stanton, but it’s really too early to call him a star. 

The rotation is a question mark, but their lineup will score a few runs.  Fortunately for them, the Mets are in their division.

The Mets will come in last in the NL East this season.  The Jose Reyes extension could become a distraction for a team that already doesn’t play very well in the first place.

Luis Castillo is getting up there in age, as is Carlos Beltran, and they will be without ace Johan Santana for the majority of the first half. 

A rotation led by R.A. Dickey and the injury-ridden Chris Young definitely won’t win you many games.

NL Central

The NL Central has three teams that could all make a run at the division crown, but I believe that the Reds will repeat as champs. 

Their young stars are finally showing their worth, and the fireballing Aroldis Chapman will be more of an impact arm in his first full season.

Second place in the division, and the Wild Card, will come down to the Cardinals and Brewers.  The Brewers revamped pitching staff will be very successful this season, but the consistency of the lineup remains to be seen.

The Cardinals are the National League’s version of the Minnesota Twins.  They always play the game the right way, they win every single year, and they aren’t out of the race until the last day of the season. 

This experience alone could win them second place in the NL Central.

However, I think the Brewers will be behind the Reds, with the Cardinals in the third.

The Cubs will be in fourth this season.  They clearly aren’t as good as the Reds, Brewers and Cardinals, yet they are nowhere near as awful as the Astros and Pirates.  This fact alone puts them in fourth place.

Between the Astros and Pirates, I see the Pirates coming in last place yet again.  They have 18 consecutive losing seasons, and figure to make it 19 in 2011.

The infield defense will be anchored by Lyle Overbay at first, with Neil Walker, Ronny Cedeno and Pedro Alvarez playing second, short and third, respectively. 

Young star Andrew McCutchen will be in control of the outfield, and will be accompanied by left fielder Jose Tabata and right fielder Garret Jones.  There really isn’t a big power threat anywhere in the lineup.

The rotation will be led by left-hander Paul Maholm, assuming he isn’t traded away.  After Maholm, the Pirates have Kevin Correia, Ross Ohlendorf, Scott Olsen, and Charlie Morton. 

It’s pretty easy to see why the Pirates will be last in the NL Central, and probably last in the entire National League as well.

NL West

This division may be the easiest prediction I will make this season.

The defending World Series champs certainly won’t come in last.  Their pitching is more than solid and their lineup will score some runs.

I believe the Rockies will come in second.  They can definitely score a ton of runs, and the pitching should be stable enough to keep them in ballgames.

There will be a battle for third place between the Dodgers and Padres, but I think the Dodgers win it because without the bat of Adrian Gonzalez, the Padres are left without a proven Major League hitter.

That leaves the Diamondbacks. 

The D’Backs are solid up the middle of the field with Miguel Montero, Kelly Johnson, Stephen Drew, and Chris Young. 

With Justin Upton in right field, the team will be pretty solid defensively.  After trading away Mark Reynolds, though, they may have an issue scoring runs this season.

Upton will bounce back from a down year and produce in the middle of the lineup. 

The starting rotation is the weakest point of this team, though.

The staff ace, by default, is left-hander Joe Saunders.  The final four spots will be left up to five men in Spring Training.  Ian Kennedy, Zack Duke, Bobby Enright, Armando Galarraga, and Dan Hudson will battle it out. 

No matter who makes the staff, I don’t predict any starter to win more than 12 games for the D’Backs this season.

It’s gonna be a long season in the desert.

Tough Races Ahead

Although the National League will have its share of bad teams, there figure to be tight races this summer.

The Phillies will run away with the NL East, but the NL Central will be close, as always, and so will the NL West.

It’s tough to say whether the Giants can repeat as NL champs, and its even tougher to say that the Phillies will dethrone them.  With so many good teams in the National League, it should be an interesting season.

If your favorite team happens to be one mentioned in my two-part story then, well, better luck next season.

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The bigger the better, right?

Wrong.

Baseball has always been a game where any talented individual could pick up a bat or glove and show off his skills – despite his size.

Bigger men generally have an advantage in the Major Leagues.  They can throw harder, run faster, and hit more powerful.  They are unique physical specimen, and people marvel at their strength.

Take Prince Fielder, for example.  People are awestruck not only by his size, but his tremendous amount of power.  He can hit a baseball just as far as any in the league, and probably farther.  His size definitely contributes to why he’s a good ball player.

But size really doesn’t matter.  Just look at the careers of these three men who have been gracing the diamond for the past several years, despite their lack of size.

David Eckstein is currently listed at 5’7″ and 175 pounds.  I’ve never stood next to the guy, but I have a feeling that those numbers are pretty generous.  Eckstein has been a thorn in the sides of pitchers ever since he came up in 2001, but it’s not because he can hit the long ball.

It’s because he’s a ball player.

Eckstein has just 35 home runs in his career (if Albert Pujols had that in a single season he would consider it a down year), and has never hit more than 26 doubles in a season.  What makes him so special then?

Here’s your answer: the guy never strikes out and is great at doing the little things in the game.

He’s struck out just 418 times in his career (Mark Reynolds would get that in two seasons), and can be counted on in any situation to lay down a bunt or make a tough defensive catch.

Despite not having a very strong arm, he releases the ball quickly and almost always gets the out.

An All-Star in 2005 and 2006, Eckstein also won the World Series MVP Award in 2006 as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Big award for such a little guy.

Next, we’ll look at the 5’9”, 175 pound Brian Roberts. 

Roberts has been a constant on the Orioles since 2003, and owns a career .283/.355/.419 slash line.  He has proved that he can hit over his career.

He led the league in doubles in 2004 and 2009, hitting 50 and 56, respectively.  His best hitting season came in 2005 when he hit 18 home runs with 73 RBI’s and hit an above average .314.

Despite the nice productivity at the plate, its Roberts’ speed and hustle that makes him such a huge asset to the Orioles.  He stole a league leading 50 bases in 2007 and has 268 in his career.  Add in the fact that he’s only been caught 66 times, and you’ve got yourself a reliable base stealer.

Roberts sports a very respectable .987 fielding percentage, and has never made more than 11 errors in a full season (he made 16 errors in 63 games in 2001). 

He has scored over 90 runs in his career five times, and he was an All-Star in 2005 and 2007. 

Despite the great numbers, Roberts may not be the best small guy in the game today.

The Red Sox’ 5’9”, 180 pounds Dustin Pedroia really packs a punch despite his smaller frame.  His career slash line is .305/.369/.460, and has 54 home runs in his four full seasons in the league.

He led the league in runs in 2008 and 2009, with 118 and 115, respectively.  He also led the league in hits in 2008 with 213 and doubles with 54.

Pedroia is difficult to strike out, he’s never had more than 52 strikeouts in a season, and has more walks in his career (215) than strikeouts (184). 

The infielder is also a superb defender, making only 24 errors over his five year career.  His Gold Glove Award in 2008 recognized his defensive skill.

He’s won more awards than just that Gold Glove.  He was an All-Star in 2008, 2009, and 2010, he was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2007, the AL MVP in 2008, and the winner of the AL Silver Slugger Award for second basemen in 2008.

The man can flat out play, even though he’s a little on the small side.

Baseball really is a game for everyone, and anybody can succeed with a little bit of talent.  Eckstein, Roberts, and Pedroia have clearly been able to harness that talent and compete with the likes of big men Prince Fielder, Pablo Sandoval, and Adam Dunn for spots on Major League rosters.

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The last time he demanded a trade he got denied.  But now, I think he’s really on his way out.

After the Adrian Beltre signing, Michael Young was moved from third base over to the DH spot.  Now, with the acquisition of catcher/first basemen/DH Mike Napoli, Young has been relegated to a backup infield/DH role.

The Rangers currently have insane amounts of depth, and Michael Young has requested to not be a part of it.

He’s understandably upset.  Young has put 11 solid—and I mean solid—years with the Texas Rangers franchise.  He has done whatever has been asked of him over the years and only recently has begun to complain.

After the Alfonso Soriano acquisition in 2004, Young graciously shifted to his right and played shortstop until the 2009 season, when high-profile prospect Elvis Andrus made his debut.  He has played third base since then, and he has played it flawlessly.

Now, he’s on the move again.  Unfortunately, it could be to a different club altogether. 

Young is the staple of consistency. He hasn’t played in less than 135 games since 2001, when he also hit for the lowest average in his career at .249.  Ever since that season, his lowest average is a respectable .262, which he hit the following season.

His best season came in 2005, when he led the league in hits with 221 and batting average with .331.  He had a .331/.385/.513 slash line that season with a career-high 24 home runs.  He knocked in 91 runs and hit 40 doubles and five triples, just for good measure.

Young as hit over .300 in six of his 11 seasons in the bigs and has had over 200 hits five times.

What team wouldn’t salivate over acquiring that kind of production?

Young has declared that he won’t waive his no-trade clause to the 22 teams that are on the list.  In other words, the Rangers can only trade him to the eight nameless teams that are on the list.

The Rangers, at this point, are looking just to get rid of their disgruntled superstar, but he could demand a hefty return. 

He can still pick it at any position in the infield, and his bat is one of the most consistent in the league. 

Theoretically, he could be acquired for two mid- to high-level prospects.  Realistically, we’ll see.  Teams will probably look to buy low on the star considering his recent demands. 

Seeing Young anywhere but Arlington is going to be difficult for baseball fans, and even more difficult for Texas fans who have grown to love their underrated superstar. 

He’ll produce anywhere he goes, no doubt about it, but the Rangers will be sorry he’s gone.  It’s just too difficult to replace that kind of consistency and production.

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He’s finally made his decision.  Unfortunately, it’s probably not the decision most Yankee fans were hoping for.

Andy Pettitte, 38, announced his retirement this morning, Feb. 4, during a press conference at Yankee Stadium.  

With his wife, Laura, at his side, Pettitte officially announced his retirement, saying, “It didn’t feel right for me anymore.  Didn’t have the hunger, the drive.”  He admitted that he felt a sort of obligation to return after the Cliff Lee signing, saying that he felt like he owed it to the organization.  However, he chose to retire.

As Pettitte rides off into the sunset, fans will have plenty to look back on.  He was a big-game competitor, a clutch performer and one of the great all-time Yankees.

Pettitte signed with the Yankees on May 25, 1991 as on amateur draft selection.  He was extremely successful in his minor league career, compiling a record of 51-22 with a 2.49 ERA.

In 1995, Pettitte burst on the scene with the other three members of the “Core Four” (Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada).  In his first season in the bigs, he went 12-9 in 26 starts.

He broke out in 1996, winning 21 games to go along with eight losses.  He became a mainstay in the rotation all the way through 2003.  In that span he won 149 games and pitched in over 200 innings in all but three seasons.

Much to the dismay of the Yankees and their fans, Pettitte departed for his hometown Houston Astros after the 2003 season.  He spent three years with the club.  He saw varying degrees of success in Houston, spending much of the 2004 season on the disabled list, and enjoying arguably the best season of his career in 2005.

He pitched to a 17-9 record with an impressive 2.39 ERA.  He, along with teammate and best friend Roger Clemens, helped the Astros to their first World Series appearance in team history.  They lost to the Chicago White Sox in a hard-fought series.

After the 2006 season, Pettitte came back home to the Bronx.

Pettitte reached a milestone in 2007, recording his 200th career victory on Sept. 19.  His return to the Bronx resulted in great success for Pettitte; he finished with a 15-9 record and a 4.05 ERA.

If there’s one thing that you can say about Andy Pettitte, it’s that he was one of the most consistent pitchers in recent memory.  He won 14 games in both 2008 and 2009 and was one of the keys to the Yankees 2009 World Series victory against the Phillies.

After a groin strain sidelined him for two months during the 2010 season, Pettitte has decided to retire.  He leaves behind quite a legacy.  Aside from his astounding regular season numbers (240 wins, 3.88 ERA, 2251 Ks), he was statistically the greatest postseason pitcher of all time.

He sports a career 19-10 record in the playoffs, with a 3.83 ERA in 42 starts.  Pettitte was a fierce postseason competitor, and one that opposing teams feared batting against.

A part of the 1996 and 2010 All-Star Games, Pettitte was also a recipient of the Warren Spahn award in 2003.  This award is presented annually to the top left-handed pitcher in baseball.  He was also named ALCS MVP in 2001.

So what can we make of Andy’s retirement?  There’s no doubt that he was a great pitcher, one of the better left-handers in Major League history.  He’s certainly not up there with the likes of Steve Carlton, Lefty Grove and Randy Johnson, but he is one of the better ones.

Of course, the argument is bound to arise.

Is Pettitte Hall of Fame worthy?

His regular season numbers may not be enough to get him voted in when he’s eligible in 2016, but his postseason numbers may very well carry him in.  That’s a debate for later on, though.

The Yankees have bigger issues going forward.

*Stay tuned for Part two—Pettitte’s Retirement: How It Affects the Yankees Going Forward

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