New York Yankees: What Will Andy Pettitte Decide This Week on the 2013 Season?

After re-signing Hiroki Kuroda last week, the New York Yankees have turned their full attention towards Andy Pettitte.

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports and WFAN, Pettitte is expected to decide whether or not he is playing in the 2013 season.

"

friend of andy pettitte says he expects pettitte to decide on '13 by the end of next week. #yankees

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) November 22, 2012"

After spending all of the 2011 season retired, the Yankee veteran left-hander opted to come back for another season and made his debut for the Bombers in May of 2012.

He posted a 5-4 record with a 2.87 ERA but was limited to just 12 starts after he took a line drive off his ankle in a game in late June.

He was able to return to the team in late September to prepare for the postseason, which was the whole reason for the Yankees getting him back during Spring Training.

The feeling around baseball is that Pettitte will return in 2013 for one more season because he was so limited in his time during 2012.

Plus, Pettitte at age 40 can still pitch at a very high and dominant level for the Yankees. He never looked like a guy who took a year off from baseball.

He signed for $2.5 million back in March of 2012, so if he were to return to the Yankees, I would fully expect a pay raise coming, and he would be worth it.

If not for the line drive off his ankle, Pettitte easily could have been 12-5 with a 2.75 ERA in 20 starts. He was pitching that well during 2012

Deep down, I think Pettitte will come back for one more tour with the team. He knows he can help the Yankees get back to the postseason and get one more crack at winning a championship.

I can see Yankees GM Brian Cashman offering him a one-year deal for anywhere in the $8-10 million range to lock Pettitte up for 2013.

All of us now wait on Pettitte's final decision. If I was a betting man, I would bet yes for Pettitte in 2013.

Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.