THE WONDER & AMAZEMENT OF ANDY PETTITTE

Andy Pettitte missed last season because he retired.  Then to everyone’s surprise he returned to baseball signing a minor league deal with the Yankees which was in a nutshell, just a way for Andy to keep working until he was ready. We all knew he’d be with us at some point this year on the big club.  And when he started his first game, you could see it…there was a twinkle in his eye and not just his eye, but ours too.  Andy Pettitte, the guy we went to so many times for so many years when our backs were up against the wall was back…to do it again.  I’m not going to lie, I felt safe.

Look, nothing lasts for ever and age can be a bitch, but at the age of 39, I’m impressed with Andy Pettitte.  He literally looks like he never left.  When asked about his performance this season, but more importantly his last outing when he struck out 10 Tampa Bay Rays, Andy said: “The feel for all my pitches has just gotten better…I feel like as long as I can stay healthy and you carry somewhat of a velocity on your fastball to keep hitters honest, if I can keep the ball around and feel like I’m going to be how I was when I left. I’ve said it, you don’t really know what to expect coming back, but I’m obviously pleasantly surprised so far that I’ve been like I’ve been.”

The guys we fell in love with are slowly coming to the end of their careers.  The hardest one for me is Jorge Posada, but I know he’s happy to be home with his family and I have mad respect for him.  He probably gets the itch once in a while but I’m sure he’s happy to see guys like Andy Pettitte giving it one more shot.  Soon it will be Derek Jeter, who, for the record doesn’t look like he’s slowing at all, despite the New York sports media rooting against him and his .270 average alittle while back.  That’s right, I don’t forget…the media jumped all over the captain, but we stayed true and Jeet delivered, just like we thought he would.  One day though, his career will too be finished.

The world shook the day Mariano Rivera went down and now his ACL surgery is scheduled for June 12^th.  He swears he’ll be back and he probably will be, he’s a tough cookie who says what he does and does what he says.  But even Mo will soon walk into the sunset.  That’s why Andy Pettitte coming back is so special and significant...at least to me.  I just goes to show that he still loves this game so much and he knows how just how passionate New York Yankee fans are…just like Mariano and Derek and Jorge do.   These are the guys we watched grow up to become not only winners, but Yankee heroes.  So yeah, having Andy Pettitte back is special, at least for me…because it tells me that if you have the confidence and believe in yourself, you can truly accomplish anything.   

Bottom line, you never stop believing.  Winning #28 will be special and I hope the tools the Yankees have right now can come together to make it happen.

But one thing will blow me away even more…a number retiring ceremony of the Core Four, ten years
from now on a beautiful  day at Yankee stadium… July 4^th… George Steinbrenner’s birthday.  #2,  #20, #42 and #46 all retired in a row and placed perfectly in monument park for us all to see for the rest of our visits and then some…history to be displayed forever…  That my friends will give me true happiness.

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