Pettitte goes to the Yankees
For 2 years $32 million, 2nd year is an option year that will kick in automatically if he reaches certain milestones–My guess would be innings pitched or starts made. Good luck in New York Andy.
Let’s see what the Astros and Tim Purpura do now.
Update 3:43 PM: Tim Purpura can’t be reached by 790, they are assuming he is on the phone with CWS, Rockies or Padres.
3:56 PM: According to 790, the Hendricks bros went to the Astros with an offer for $14 mil, 1 year, 2nd year player’s option. Basically, if Andy’s arm doesn’t fall off this year, the 2nd year option would kick in no matter how bad or good he would be in 2007. I think the Astros were smart to turn it down.
Ticker Update, 4:34 PM: Astros GM Tim Purpura said the player option was the deal breaker. The Jon Garland deals looks even more less likely now than 24 hours ago. Astros better get Peavy, Jennings or Willis now.
Last Update for the night: As of 7 PM Central time, Andy Pettitte still had "no comment" for the Houston media.
Why won’t you face the Houston media Andy? Are you scared that fans in Houston will shun you now? Call you a turncoat?
Personally, if he’d faced the media right away and admitted he felt it was the best decision for him, no one in Houston would have blamed him–after all, he was a free agent.
The Rocket better take note of this "no comment" business. If he decides to go to the Yankees or Red Sox, Houston fans won’t blame him UNLESS he pulls an Andy and his no comment–Rocket has a rather lucrative restaurant in Houston that may suddenly get shunned….
Don’t forget guys, you BOTH have to live in Houston after you hang up your cleats!
Hot Stove and Beyond 
Maybe I’m bitter.. but I say good riddance. I’m glad the Astros didn’t pay an average overall pitcher(last year) that much. Guess family doesn’t mean as much when you’re swimming in money.
-Stros Bro
http://www.crawfishboxes.com
Yeah, apparently family doesn’t matter more than money. But, I think the Astros did the right thing by not agreeing to the player option. I don’t think Andy can pitch like he did in 2005 again. I believe 2006 is more indicative of what he’s got left in the tank–a 5 plus ERA in the NL translating to a 5.5 or 6 plus ERA in the AL East.
I would have given him 2 years at 12 million.. but 16 per is just getting stupid. Here’s to hoping Andy flops and the Astros win the World Series while Andy sits at home(err, in his condo) watching the ‘Stros.
man you guys are bitter
and btw, Andy was with New York from 1995 to 2003, and he was still able to be with his family; and besides it’s one year plus an option year
Maybe we’re just a wee bit bitter simply because all we heard for 2 months was “I’m not sure I want to pitch anymore because I want to spend time with my kids going to their games and be with my dad.”
The option year is what killed the deal with the Astros. It’s a PLAYER’S option. The Astros don’t believe Andy will be better in 2007 than he was in 2006, basically a very average pitcher in a pitcher’s league. Definitely not worth $28 million for two years.
Hendricks offered the Astros the same deal but 14 mil per year with the statement that if Andy got hurt he’d turn down the option… sure..
If Pettitte goes down with elbow problems, then Purpura will look like a genius. Till then he looks like a guy who either gets stuck with 3 unproven starters, or a guy who throws all his prospects at the White Sox/Rockies for a proven starter.
We are talking about a guy with a lower ERA than Zito and Schmidt over the past two years. The average ERA was about 4.80 last year in the major leagues.
Goodbye Pettitte, goodbye Clemens. Perhaps Andy has been watching Roger too much and decided baseball is all about the money.
http://astrobrit.tripod.com/baseball
I think the Astros were willing to play the “Maybe I will, maybe I won’t” game with Roger but not Andy because it would set a bad example for everyone else. Let’s all face it, Andy is no Roger and shouldn’t have been treated that way.
And for what it’s worth, I hope Andy does well in NY, but, I wouldn’t hold my breath. Purpura said a week ago that Andy’s elbow was hurting towards the end of the season and he had to take a couple of cortizone shots to take his turn in the rotation.