Pettitte’s Season Over | Career Could Be Too

Now that the stadium is closed it seems like some of the Yankees are finding it hard to get motivated to play baseball. First Hideki Matsui and now Andy Pettitte have shut their seasons down along with “The House That Ruth Built.”

Pettitte, who is normally a very strong second half pitcher, has struggled lately and has been complaining about a sore shoulder in recent weeks. Unlike Matsui he will not need surgery to repair anything, but he and the Yankees both thought that with the team eliminated from the playoffs there was no need to further tax his ailing shoulder.

“(The shoulder) has given me a little trouble,” Pettitte said. “I just wanted to go out and pitch, to do what it takes to get out there and pitch. Now that it’s over, now that we’re not going to the playoffs, there’s no sense in trying to do what it takes to go out there.”

Now that he’s shutdown for the season the free agent to be could have played his final game ever. The Yankees will entertain the idea of bringing him back on for next season, but if they don’t Pettitte has made it clear that he will either pitch for the Yankees or retire.

It is likely that the Yankees will discuss a contract with Pettitte at some point this off-season, but there are a few factors that need to be worked out first, such as whether or not Brian Cashman returns.  A new general manager might want to go in a different direction. Also the two sides could run into a money issue. Pettitte made $16 million each of the past two seasons and the Yankees would likely ask him to take a pay cut for 2009.

One thing that is telling is Joe Girardi’s stance on the issue. He wants him back and isn’t afraid to say so. The question is in what capacity does he want the southpaw back as he has also told Bernie Williams that he would like to see him come back next season, but that would be in a coach’s role. It is possible that is what Girardi was thinking for his friend Andy.

In Pettitte’s place Sidney Ponson will get the start, which doesn’t make a lot of sense. Instead they should use other guys on the 40-man roster like Ian Kennedy or Chase Wright, but neither has made a start for a little while and at least Kennedy is probably getting set to pitch in the fall league.