Andy Pettitte Retirement from New York Yankees Could Be Approaching

Andy Pettitte's retirement from the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball could come within a month apparently. Pettitte still has the chance to re-sign with the Yankees, but the comments from his "camp" are that he is not willing to take a low-ball offer to come back for another year. This means that if the Yankees aren't willing to give him a nice contract offer, that Pettitte might decide that he just wants to retire from the game. There is also the chance that he might be hedging towards retirement anyways.

According to ESPN, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman stated that that Pettitte is already leaning towards retirement, and that we will know his decision within a month. This could be a ploy to get Pettitte back to the negotiating tables, but it could also be the truth that Pettitte is ready to walk away from the game. Last year the Yankees paid him $11.5 million to be their No. 2 starter, and he would likely return to that role in 2011 if the Yankees were unable to sign another free agent.

It is very clear right now that the Yankees need Pettitte to not just be back on the roster, but to pitch one of his best seasons in the game during 2011. The Yankees starting rotation isn't quite up to where they would like it, and the struggles of A.J. Burnett have not been welcome after they shelled out all that free agency money for him. Now after losing out on the bidding to get Cliff Lee, things have almost become drastic in New York.

Last season Pettitte went 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 21 starts for the Yankees. He was still a great veteran presence in the locker room, and he brought a lot to the team. He was also much needed in the postseason, and could likely be one of the best pitchers on their staff if they bring him back in 2011. Looking at things just from Pettitte's standpoint, he really needs to put up some great numbers for at least one or two more seasons to have a realistic shot at making it into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Right now his career stats just do not stack up well enough to put him into a serious discussion about induction.

The Yankees aren't done making moves this offseason, but they also have to decide how much they are willing to pay a pitcher that will turn 39-years-old in the coming season. With the Boston Red Sox making so many huge moves within the division, New York has to do something quick, because right now their team actually looks worse than the one they had on the field last year.

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