INDIANAPOLIS — The Yankees’ offseason priority came after they addressed another need. But that didn’t mean the Yankees weren’t thrilled to bring Andy Pettitte back to The Bronx.
“He gives us a comfort level with what we’ve already got [in the starting rotation],” general manager Brian Cashman said of Pettitte agreeing to a one-year deal for $11.75 million that was announced yesterday morning.
Technically, Pettitte’s signing — the Yankees’ public top priority — preceded the Yankees’ officially acquiring center fielder Curtis Granderson from the Tigers in a three-way deal that sent Ian Kennedy to Arizona and Phil Coke and Austin Jackson to Detroit. Also in the trade, Edwin Jackson went from Detroit to Arizona, and the Tigers got Max Scherzer and prospect Daniel Schlereth from the Diamondbacks. That deal was officially announced in the afternoon.
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One year after he was forced to swallow a $5.5 million contract for a single season in late January because the Yankees were tapped out of money, Pettitte was pleased to be signed in early December.
“It’s great, it really is,” said the Yankees’ No. 3 starter behind CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett and this past postseason’s stud. “I didn’t want to hold the Yankees up. I called [agent] Randy [Hendricks] Thanksgiving weekend and it was nice to get it wrapped up the way it did.”
Pettitte has mulled retirement several times, but knows he can still be a key pitcher on a winning team.
“I didn’t want to regret not playing,” he said.
Nonetheless, with his fifth ring secure, he thought about walking away on top.
“There’s no doubt it did,” he said. “What else is there to do? Why even continue to play? Why would you go back? How could you finish any better?”
The 37-year-old Pettitte, who made $5 million in incentives last year when he was 14-8 with a 4.16 ERA in 32 starts (194 2/3 innings) and 4-0 with a 5.52 ERA in five postseason games, didn’t receive incentive clauses this time.
As for Granderson, the Yankees understand the 28-year-old is a flawed player — too many strikeouts and an inability to hit lefties last year — but believe he upgrades their team.
“He has hit left-handers before, but was very bad last year,” Cashman said of the left-handed hitting Granderson, who batted .183 (33-for-180) against them last year. “[Hitting coach] Kevin Long will work with him. His overall production (30 homers and 71 RBIs) is very impressive. You don’t see many center fielders do what he does.”
Granderson believes playing with other all-stars will help him, especially when it comes to solving his struggles against lefties.
“You try and figure it out what’s causing it,” Granderson said. “One, don’t hit with two strikes. Changes in mechanics come over time. Being around consistent hitters helps. Seeing a guy like Robinson Cano and the success he has had against lefties, hopefully I can learn a lot.”
Cashman didn’t want to usurp Joe Girardi’s lineup making duties, but said that in his mind at this time — with Johnny Damon still a free agent — he is looking at Granderson as the No. 2 hitter behind Derek Jeter against lefties.
Another aspect Cashman likes about Granderson is that there are three years and $25.75 million remaining on his contract.
So is Cashman done re-tooling the World Champions? What about Hideki Matsui and Damon? Is there enough talent and money in the budget to land Roy Halladay?
“I like this team, but are where we need to be?” said Cashman, who alluded to the budget set by Hal Steinbrenner as being a firm one. “We are not a finished product. I have a certain amount of dollars and I have to be careful with the next few moves.”
Cashman said it was still “possible” Damon and Matsui could return. However, it’s likely that just one will and it’s not out of the question neither comes back.