Andy Pettitte has not decided to retire, but the 38-year-old left-hander has told the New York Yankees he will not be pitching when the season starts.
“I don’t think he’s determined if he’s officially finished or not, but he’s chosen at this stage at least not to start in 2011,” Cashman said Wednesday at the baseball owners’ quarterly meetings in Arizona. "If that ever changes he’ll call us. We’re not going to hound him or bother him.
“He’s being courteous about it and he cares greatly for the franchise and the direction we’re going and hopes for success for us on a yearly basis whether he’s with us or not,” Cashman said. “This is something over the last number of years he’s thought about. His family’s important and being home is important to him, and we respect that. You gotta be all in when you’re playing in the AL East, especially, so you take some time to get all in. I respect and understand that and if it doesn’t ever happen I also respect and understand that.”
“If it ever does change, he knows where to find us, and we certainly appreciate everything he’s done,” Cashman said. “He’s been an awesome Yankee, but at the same time you have to respect people’s wishes and the direction they want to go.”
The Yankees now have only three certain members of their starting rotations — CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett. Youngster Ivan Nova and journeyman Sergio Mitre have opportunities to start, and the Yankees are scouring a weak market for help. Cashman added that the Yankees may have to dip into a group of young pitchers in their farm system “a little bit sooner than we expected.”
Who wants to start the pool on what date this season Pettitte announces his mid-season comeback to the Yankees?