The Futility Infielder

The news this morning is not good for Yankee fans. According to ESPN, the Houston Astros have called a noontime press conference to announce the signing of pitcher Andy Pettitte to three-year deal believed to be worth $32-$34 million. The Yanks, who had said signing Pettitte this offseason was their top priority, had a funny way of showing it for a pitcher who's spent nine years and won 149 regular season and 13 postseason games. Their slow-moving approach, ostensibly to allow Pettitte to explore the market for his services before they made their final offer, did nothing but alienate the otherwise low-maintenance Pettitte.

But Dandy Andy had been talking the talk that he wanted to pitch closer to his Deer Park, Texas home, and with the Texas Rangers hamstrung by the need to cut payroll around Alex Rodriguez, the Astros emerged as soft-selling suitors for his services. The Yankee cash cavalry no doubt expected to ride to the rescue with a big deal that would keep Pettitte in pinstripes, but their three-year, $39 million offer, though it's substantially more money, was too little too late.

I'm angry right now, more at the Yankee brass and George Steinbrenner than at Petttitte himself. In losing Pettitte, the Yanks give up the sole reliable southpaw in their rotation; David Wells has agreed to a minor-league deal, but he's coming off of his second back surgery in three years and must be considered a question mark, especially in the temperament department. Pettitte's numbers, his stellar performance this past October, and his history with the franchise should have merited red-carpet treatment, but instead the Yanks are left with a Texas-sized void in their rotation.

But it's tough to begrudge Pettitte. In his nine years, he's done it all, been to the playoffs every single season, reached six World Series and won four rings. He's never taken to New York the way a David Cone has; one article last week said that in his nine years, Pettitte had only been into Manhattan a few times. He's seen his best friend on the Yanks (Roger Clemens) retire, his closest ally (pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre) mistreated, and his manager seems poised to wrap up his business in the Bronx after this season. He can probably sense that the Yanks' evolution into an older ballclub is not for the best. He's earned the right to find a more comfortable spot for himself, and I can only wish him the best and thank him for the memories, particularly his three Game Two postseason wins this past October, when he looked every bit the icewater-peeing ace pitcher the Yanks needed.

The only thing I can say in defense of the Yankees is that they have a far better idea of the condition of Pettitte's elbow than I do. Jack Curry's New York Times article today notes that Pettitte "has pitched through elbow pain for years." He missed about a third of the 2002 season with elbow tendinitis, and Will Carroll thinks he may never have been pitching at 100 percent. Notes Carroll in his Free Agent Health Report:

[H]e has some rather serious health questions. His elbow has come up tender several times, including this season, and his high-effort motion has always made pitching gurus a bit nervous. Pettitte seems to recover well with some down time and some renewed attention to his mechanics, but without knowing what the MRIs have shown, we can only guess that there's some damage inside the arm. While Houston will certainly bid, New York wants to keep Pettitte in pinstripes. Given the risk of injury down the road, the shorter the deal the better. Seeing the 1974 version of Tommy John at #3 in his PECOTA comparables is enough to send me screaming like Jessica Biel in Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I wrote last week that the longer the Yankees hold onto him, the greater the chance that someday he'll be rehabbing on their watch, and for better or worse, that won't be a problem anymore.

With this news, the Kevin Brown-for-Jeff Weaver rumors have reignited. I'm not sure what the Yanks still have that they can include with the deal besides the ability to free up payroll for the Dodgers. But George Steinbrenner and company have a whole omelette on their face right now, so I expect them to do something. Unfortunately, I fear that something will only make the Yanks into an older, creakier version of the ballclub I've been watching for the past several years.

Speaking of unraveling, the Yanks' deal with Gary Sheffield is anything but done. Papers the past couple of days have been full of stories about Sheffield reneging on his handshake deal with Steinbrenner to ask for more money. Apart from the fact that the Yanks have been down this two-way street before (see Wells, David) and that Sheffield is one of the game's biggest assholes along with one of its best hitters, this no-deal has led Brian Cashman to explore the possibility of signing Vladimir Guerrero. It's a tantalizing possiblity. Vlad over Gary would be a lovely "fuck you" to a player who richly deserves it, especially since he seems to have no other suitors, a major boost to add a top-flight hitter in his prime, and a defensive upgrade as well. It's also about the only thing that can put a happy face on this situation. There aren't five hitters I'd rather see swing the bat than Gary Sheffield, but there aren't five ballplayers I'd less rather root for (in order: Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, Juan Gonzalez, and... Kenny Rogers? I'll get back to you on that one).

I'd delve into more of this, but I'm working on my DIPS bullpen piece and plan to have it up by the end of the day.