Andy Pettitte said on Friday that his body was willing but his heart was just not in it for a run at a sixth World Series title with the New York Yankees.
“My arm feels great. My body feels great,” Pettitte, 38, told a standing-room only news conference at Yankee Stadium to announce the end of his 16-year Major League Baseball career.
“I know my body would get to where it needs to be, but my heart’s not where it needs to be,” he said.
Pettitte, not blessed with an overpowering fastball or trick pitch, won five World Series rings with the Yankees and amassed a major league record 19 post-season wins on the strength of his poise, determination and heart.
The broad-shouldered left-hander pitched big games with an unshaven stubble, cap pulled down just over large dark eyes to stare down batters with his glove held high against his face.
Grit and guts helped the soft-spoken Texan by way of Louisiana compile a career record of 240-138, including three seasons with his hometown Houston Astros.
Last year he was 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA despite spending two months on the disabled list with a groin injury.
Pettitte, with his wife, Laura, at his side, said he had contemplated retirement the last two years but stayed on.
He said he believed it was time to quit after the Yankees were eliminated in the playoffs by the Texas Rangers last year, one step away from another World Series. The Yankees, hoping he might reconsider, told him to take his time before deciding.
When New York failed to sign free agent Cliff Lee, who accepted an offer from the Philadelphia Phillies, Pettitte said he felt “tremendous [personal] pressure” to return and started working to see if he still had the urge to compete.
“When they didn’t get him [Lee] I felt a huge obligation,” Pettitte said. “I felt like I owed it to the team. I knew they would probably need me.”
He said he reached a final decision early last week.
“The thought of packing my bags again and leaving just didn’t feel right in my stomach,” said Pettitte, whose immediate plans revolve around spending time with his family.
Pettitte denied speculation his decision was affected by the burden of expectations he will be called as a witness this summer in the trial of former teammate Roger Clemens, charged with lying to a congressional committee when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs.
“That has not had any effect, zero,” Pettitte said about his retirement. “I would never let that interfere with a life decision I was going to make for me and my family.”
Pettitte has admitted using human growth hormone to help him overcome injury and said Clemens told him he had used HGH.
Despite his admission, Pettitte said he was always treated well by fans across baseball.
“I’ve tried to handle things the way I thought that I should. I try to be genuine,” he said.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
RSS