Andy Pettitte: Bad Luck in 2008 Could Be Good for Yankees in 2009

All of the Yankee pitching talk centers around Sabathia, Burnett, Wang and Joba, but Andy Pettitte may quietly be the pitcher who determines the true dominance of the Yankee staff. Due to his constant Clemens-esque threats of retirement, people often forget that Pettitte won't even turn 37 years old until June. He struggled through shoulder woes in 2008 and all reports indicate that he is healthy this Spring. More importantly, Pettitte had an extremely unlucky 2008. His BABIP was .339, while the league average for pitchers is .301 and his career average is .316.

This stat has the potential to be a warning sign for a pitcher if his strikeout rate decreases at the same time. However, Petttitte's K/9 was 6.97 last year, representing his second-highest K/9 with the Yankees, and higher than his 6.60 career rate. The only explanation is that Petttite was extremely unlucky last year and the balls that were hit fell in for hits. That, or maybe he was serving up a lot of grounders in the vicinity of shortstop. By now, we all know that most of those balls are headed into the outfield.

To further enhance his bad luck, Pettitte's strand rate (the percentage of baserunners left on base by the pitcher) was 68.2% in 2008. The league average for this stat typically hovers around 70%. As mentioned previously, Pettitte had a very good strikeout rate, so that is not a valid explanation for this below-average rate. His career strand rate is 71.3, so Pettitte has hovered just above the league average throughout his career. He even earned the reputation as a "grinder" who battles out of trouble, based on some of his seasons with strand rates in the upper 70's.

If Pettitte can make 33 starts this year out of the 4th slot in the rotation, he has the potential to provide the performance of a number 2 or 3 starter. The idea isn't too far-fetched, and if it happens, the 2009 Yankee rotation will be unmatched by most teams in MLB. Read the full post, after the jump

Andy Pettite to pitch Opener at New Stadium?

With the Yankees rotation all but settled, our new section-buddy BuckyBadger weighs in on who will pitch the first game at the new Stadium for the Bombers:

Andy Pettitte has signed on to be our 5th starter. The 10th game of the season is the Yankees home opener. Anyone see where I'm going with this? The first man to officially throw a baseball off the mound at the new cathedral of baseball will be someone who truely(sic) deserves it.

I hope Pettitte pitches the home opener as well, but I certainly don't think he deserves it anymore than Wang, or Sabathia would. But wouldn't it be something if Pettitte, the only remaining starter from the dynasty years, gets a win in the opener?! Better yet, in a game where Jeter and Posada both homer, and Mo notches a save. Ahh, dynasty wet dreams!

Talk about it in the Stadium Insider Forums! Read the full post, after the jump

Indecent Proposal?

A-Rod actually had this to say today:

"Andy is one of the greatest human beings I've ever met," Alex Rodriguez said. "I have two daughters -- well, I have one and one on the way. If I had a daughter, I would want 'em to marry Andy Pettitte. The age difference might be a little awkward, but in today's day and age anything is possible."

Too soon???
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The McNamee Bunch

The youngest one in curls... Read the full post, after the jump

The Witch Hunt Continues

"Committee on Oversight and Government Reform chairman Henry A. Waxman and Ranking Minority Member Tom Davis released a joint statement on the rescheduling: "The Oversight Committee will postpone the hearing until February 13, 2008, which is after the sentencing of Kirk Radomski. The witnesses to be invited to the rescheduled hearing are Brian McNamee, Kirk Radomski, Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch and Roger Clemens. In preparation for the hearing, we will ask each witness to provide the Committee with a deposition. Postponing the hearing will provide additional time to coordinate the Committee's investigation with the Justice Department's ongoing efforts."

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yank...

Right now Congresses' approval rating stands at a hearty 26 percent. Is it any wonder? Instead of concentrating on matters of national importance oh say the war, healthcare, education, the faltering economy, our representatives are looking into steroid allegations of Major League Baseball players from five years ago. On top of that, three of our Yankees will be forced to testify in front of Congress with no immunity. As if the Mitchell report wasn't an entire joke to begin with, now the American Public can get another circus act to feast its appetite for buffoonery on.

We're done being disgusted by all these steroid antics here at NYYSI. Instead, we're going to enjoy the entertainment, sit back, grab some peanuts, and laugh at all the clowns from afar. Read the full post, after the jump

Deja Vu?

Andy Pettitte has retained Pittsburgh-based attorney Jay Reisinger, who famously represented Sammy Sosa three years ago, for his upcoming appearance before a congressional committee.

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp...


Could we see a repeat of Sammy's defense three years ago?

Read the full post, after the jump