Andy Pettitte Rejects New York Yankees' Deal: What’s Next?

Andy Pettitte, who said all season he would either play for the Yankees in 2009 or retire, rejected the Yankees offer of one-year at $10 million according to the NY Times.

Pettitte and the Yankees have been at odds over how much the 36-year-old lefty will receive next season. Pettitte wants to return at the $16 million figure he earned last season, but the Yankees see his value at $8 million and thought they were being generous by offering $10 million.

His rejection of the one-year deal leaves Pettitte’s future in doubt. This could just be a ploy and he is trying to get the Yankees to offer more money, but he insisted a couple of times this season that it wasn’t about the money.

“Obviously anyone else would say, ‘I’ll go wherever I want to,’ because people want to try to get the most money,” Pettitte said before a Yankees-Angels game in Anaheim, Calif. “But, I mean, I’m not going anywhere, you know what I’m saying? The Yankees know me enough, it’s not like I’m going to hold out. I guess if I had spent all my money or whatever, it might be different. But it’s not about that, really, anymore.”

If it’s really not about the money then this might be a move which signals his retirement. There have been rumors of offers from other teams this winter and if Pettitte did want to leave the Yankees there certainly would be a team interested in his services. Thought it seemed like he was sincere in his desire to return to the Bronx, at least that is the impression both Joe Girardi and Joe Torre got from him when they last talked to him.

If the Yankees truly want to keep him, they could offer him another deal with incentives to push the deal closer to one of Pettitte’s liking. Why not start with a base of $10 million then $1 million incentives for win and inning totals adding up to a $16 million total. That way Pettitte could get the $16 million if he performs up to his own expectations and the Yankees would only have to pay out $10 million if he fell short.

Otherwise the Yankees could replace Pettitte’s spot in the rotation with a young pitcher. A little spring competition between Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Alfredo Aceves, and Phil Coke could be very healthy for the young starters. If they didn’t feel comfortable with that they could sign free agents like Derek Lowe, Oliver Perez, or Ben Sheets.

Sheets could be the best option here despite the Yankees fear of his health. That could work for them as it’s possible they could get Sheets on a similar to the one-year deal they extended Pettitte. Then the kids would be good insurance in case he did break down.