TAMPA – At 2:30 Monday, Andy Pettitte’s anxiety level was climbing toward the sky as he prepared to address the media at Steinbrenner Field. Then the cell phone chirped and the soothing voice of Joe Torre filled Pettitte’s ear.
“He is a great man and I appreciated it,” Pettitte said of the Dodgers’ new manager. “He told me how proud he was of me. Other than that, I can’t say.”
Attempts to reach Torre in Vero Beach were unsuccessful.
Yesterday was Pettitte’s first day working with his teammates and he couldn’t be happier to finally move the Mitchell Report, Roger Clemens, Brian McNamee and HGH off to the side.
“It’s good to get the cleats on,” said Pettitte, who will throw in the bullpen today. “My arm feels good and I am right there with everybody else.”
Having his 2003 BALCO testimony leaked a year later, Jason Giambi knew what Pettitte was going to face coming to camp.
“He handled it like a man,” Giambi said. “To be honest with you, the hard part is over.”
Asked if he believed Roger Clemens, Giambi said, “I am not going to discuss that.”
As for what he told the Mitchell Report investigators, Giambi said, “I talked about myself and didn’t talk about anybody else. I took responsibility for my actions.”
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Alex Rodriguez took a physical yesterday at Steinbrenner Field and declined to address the media. He is supposed to do that before today’s first full-squad workout. It’s possible that Rodriguez will miss a game or two in mid-April when his wife Cynthia delivers the couple’s second child.
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Here is another example of how different George Steinbrenner’s sons are. After watching pitchers throw in the bullpen yesterday, Hank made himself available to the autograph hounds behind a fence while Hal, standing by himself 60 yards away, sipped quietly from a paper cup.
After asking for “patience” in October when looking for a manager, Hank is feeling frisky about his club.
“We will be a legit World Series threat this year,” Hank said. “We will be one of (the) four (AL) teams. Starting next year, we will be the favorite.”
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The Yankees gathered their pro scouting staff at Steinbrenner Field yesterday. Hank and Hal entered the meeting with GM Brian Cashman.
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Johnny Damon didn’t guarantee it but he believes the Yankees can join the football Giants as World Champions.
“I expect to win it all,” he said. “There is no reason for a team to show up and not expect to win.”
As for not getting Johan Santana, Damon said, “I didn’t want that trade to happen, although Santana is a dominant pitcher.”
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The Yankees expect to have all 69 players in camp today.