ANAYLYZING MAN VS. MOUSE

Watching Andy Pettitte pitch on Saturday, I was blown away by the way this guy still has such enormous strength, power and endurance.  To think that he actually walked away from the game the way he did, took a year off in 2011 and came back in 2012 is still amazing to me. 

What’s bigger was the way Pettitte handled young Bryce Harper. Sure, Harper is a kid who struck out 3 times against Pettitte and even though he’s been billed as the next big thing in baseball, Andy Pettitte proved that experience rules. Read HERE. Pettitte stood there and said, “Here’s my best stuff, try and hit it.“  Harper didn’t...and Harper looked silly.

And all that got me thinking about Cole Hamels. Hamels not only didn’t pitch to Harper back on May 6th (Read HERE), he hit him and then admitted it. Look, don’t get me wrong, I’m not blasting Cole Hamels, I like the guy and at the time of him admitting that he threw intentionally at Harper, I personally didn’t have an opinion on it.  Now, full disclosure, Mikey Blue did in fact write about the incident in WHY THE COLE HAMELS SUSPENSION IS ABSURD , but for me, it made no difference…until now.

Look, if Pettitte didn't overpower Harper, I wouldn't have an opinion on this, but Andy Pettitte opened my eyes. It just goes to show how a true hardworking veteran like Andy Pettitte is.  He did his job, he pitched and proved not only victorious (in dominating Harper as a batter, not the W), but superiority.  You have to admire that.  Hamels? Well, some would suggest he wussed out.  Some would say he “did it for the team." I'm going further, I'm calling it fear. I believe Cole Hamels could have done the “Here it is, try and hit it” routine with Harper like Andy did, but instead he appeared eager to try and please his teammates, so he plunked him instead. Why? It was the first inning of that Phillies, Nationals game. Hamels said it was a "Welcome to the big leagues" plunk, but I don't buy it.  My suggestion? Do it Pettitte’s way... power. That's my opinion at least and you guys may have a different view...I respect that.

I love Cole Hamel and I love the way he pitches, and I'd love to see him in pinstripes. But after seeing Andy last Saturday and thinking back to Hamels, I have to say, Pettitte opened my eyes this weekend.  Sure, people can rip on the Yankees for having an old pitching staff, after all, Pettitte is 40 now, but sometimes that veteran confidence will overrule any rookie reeking with arrogance. Andy taught Harper what time it was.  Pettitte set the tone Saturday, and sure, Hamels will get there, I have no doubt about that, but maybe this year isn’t the year for that. Maybe he'll get there when he's in pinstripes...maybe?

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