Andy Pettitte retired from the Yankees today after a great career that left him with a 240-138 lifetime record plus a 19-10 record in the postseason. After Whitey Ford, he is the best lefty starter in the Yankees illustrious history.
Pettitte's retirement is a huge blow to the Yankees starting rotation next year. Although he is getting up there in age (he'll be 39 in June), he had a pretty respectable season for the Bombers in 2010, going 11-8 with a 3.28 ERA last season. The mighty Yankees, with their $200 million payroll, have been reduced to going after retreads like Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia in an attempt to patch the back end of their rotation. Bet those Yankee fans who were mean to Cliff Lee's wife are rethinking some of their life choices right now.
One reason Pettitte may have retired is because he is scheduled to testify when Roger Clemens goes to court for lying to Congress and he may have wanted to minimize the circus that will surround the trial by not having to show up in the Yankees clubhouse every day.
Pettitte will come up for the Hall of Fame in 5 years and his election will be another controversial one. He certainly has the stats (especially in the postseason) to merit induction, but his admission of using HGH a few years back may mean that he will have to wait a while if he ever gets into Cooperstown.
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