Newsday's Ken Davidoff has learned that the Astros are close to making a trade for a starting pitcher that would officially remove them from the Andy Pettitte sweepstakes, clearing the way for the former Yankee to return to the Bronx.
It is unclear whom the Astros are trading for but they recently have had conversations with Colorado about Jason Jennings. Pettitte was 14-13 last season in Houston with a 4.20 ERA. Jennings was 9-13 with a 3.78 ERA in Colorado.
Comments (26)
NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its Jon Garland. The Astros are closing in on a trade for Garland of the Chicago White Sox. Should pave the way for the NYY to take Pettitte back !!!!
However, I have no idea who the CHI white Sox are rec'ving in return...
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/story/477975p-402120c.html
This article has an interesting take on yesterday's events.
I hope Pettitte isn't using us to drive up his price. And he really wants to be back in pinstripes. There is still another team in Texas that we'd compete with if the Astors pass on Andy. Roger used them to hike his price with the ‘stros last year. They have the money to spend.
With the W/Sox trading Garland and Garcia I doubt an ARod trade with them is possible at this point.
Now there's talk that Andy Pettitte will make his return to The Bronx by the end of THIS week.
lets get this Pettitte deal done--Bombers need pitching ASAP-Sexson-NO, Hillenbrand-NO
wait for big Tex next year
If we get Andy, enjoy it. It is a PR move, and he is the only "impact" player we may acquire this off season, unless someone wants to play for us on the "cheap". There will be no ZITO, or any other big name player of consequence added to our roster. Cashman used to answer to "The Boss". Now he answers to "The Luxury Tax". Sad, but true.
I don't see what's so sad about it.
Answering to the Boss got us nowhere except the scorn from the rest of the league.
Maybe the fear of the luxury tax might give us better results.
The past two WS winners weren't big spenders.
Good sign for Pettitte in pinstripes. Astro's are close to trading for Garland, sending Taveras and Buchholz to Chicago.
Roy,
There is nothing sad about not getting a "big" name player. When a difference maker is available the Yankees will strike. Zito, although a good pitcher, is not a difference maker. The Tigers did not think so as they slap him around in the ALCS.
All of the teams who are throwing good money at bad players will be severly limited in the future to get the real talent - think Johan Santana. Only then will you appreciate the genius of Cash's moves.
where are you guys hearing Garland to Houston? How could that be, they would be a starter short, and I cant see them trading Garland for Taveras-maybe if Lidge was involved
Astros Acquire Jon Garland?
Now this is a shocker. The Houston Chronicle reports that the Astros are set to announce a trade for Jon Garland. The righty turned 27 in September. He makes $10MM in '07 and $12MM in '08.
Jose De Jesus Ortiz mentions that the buzz is that Willy Taveras and Taylor Buchholz may be involved.
Can you believe it? In two days Kenny Williams has sent away 40% of his rotation. While I find the Garcia bounty reasonable, it doesn't seem to be the best possible return. Same here, if it's really Buchholz/Taveras.
There will be all sorts of competition in spring as the Sox try to get younger in the rotation with Gavin Floyd, Brandon McCarthy, Taylor Buchholz, and Charlie Haeger.
UPDATE: Ken Rosenthal reports that Jason Hirsh is in the deal too. Ahhhh, MUCH better. Kenny Williams says no deal is close, however.
The Yankees are not shying away from spending Roy. They are just choosing to be smarter about who they invest their money in. Zito wants 6 years! We have too many talented young arms inches away from the ML and there will be a few crafty lefties available on the market soon that are much better than Zito. It’s good were not signing extremely long contracts. They Yankees finally learned from their mistakes.
Wow...Garland and Garcia traded from the White Sox staff and they're KEEPING Vasquez and Contreras? What the heck are they thinking? Contreras, after that crazy string of wins came back to earth in a big way and Vasquez was frustrating Ozzie like crazy last season. I'll withhold my joy until I find out this is true but man, I'll be happy for two reasons: I think these trades have weakened the White Sox and of course, strengthened our chances of bringing the good Andy P. back..Pettitte.
I look at this almost like trading Wright for Pettitte, forget the money and think about going into the playoffs with Wang, Pettitte, Moose and maybe a healthy RJ instead of having to depend on Wright in an elimination game. It's better, I don't think it's unstoppable but it gives us a better chance.
The Royals gave Meche more money than Lilly got!!! 4 yrs/$45M- Holy crap!
Andy is a good move and try and trade carl to the rockies and trade for sexson and another infielder and ready for 2007.GREAT JOB CASHMAN SINCE YOU TOOK CONTROL.
$45m for Meche from a small market team? What a joke! They do realize we won't have to pay luxury taxes starting in '09? What are then going to do then? File for Chapter 11?
The jon garland to the astros for wily taveras and taylor Buckholtz deal hit a snag. White sox GM Kenny Williams wanted prospect Jon Hirch instead of Taveras and Astros Gm Tim Purpura said no way. They will probaly do all they can to re-sign Andy now hopefully he walks, but I doubt it.
Well here is Bill Madden article .
Yanks hurl a purpose pitch
Need for Andy is real, not nostalgic
Ted Lilly
Andy Pettitte may wind up back with Astros despite serious interest from Yankees.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - For three days in his suite here in Fantasyland, Brian Cashman agonized over signing Ted Lilly, a much-coveted free-agent pitcher he knew was his for the taking.
He knew Lilly, who grew up a Yankee and went on to achieve modest success in the pitchers' buzz saw that is the American League East, had told all of his suitors the Bronx was where he really wanted to be, if only the Yankees would ask.
This wasn't a case of using the Bombers to drive the price up with other clubs, as Andy Pettitte and his agents, the Hendricks brothers, are obviously trying do now with the Houston Astros. The price for Lilly, even in this fast-inflating market for starting pitchers, was always going to be four years, $40 million. The Chicago Cubs were in for that and told by Lilly's agent, Larry O'Brien, there was no need to up the ante. We just need to know where we stand with the Yankees, O'Brien said.
But even though Cashman knows he needs to get another starting pitcher as insurance for a rotation rife with creaky arms and question marks, and even though he'd gotten the okay from George Steinbrenner to spend whatever he needed in that regard, he couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger on this one. It was a case of looking at his hands and still seeing the burn scars of Carl Pavano.
In other years, the Yankees never seemed to concern themselves with bad contracts. Other clubs looked at them with both envy and disgust for their ability to eat their mistakes and move on. It was easy because Steinbrenner never seemed to care how much money his GMs threw around at good ballplayers, or bad, and never required them to have a conscience.
But clearly Cashman does. And just as clearly he's concerned about his reputation. He looked at that $40 million price tag on Lilly, who despite a 15-13 record and 4.31 ERA with the Toronto Blue Jays last year, has a history of shoulder problems and is essentially a five- or six-inning pitcher, and saw Pavano, to whom he gave an almost identical contract two years ago and has nothing to show for it. If he was going to err again, Cashman said to himself, it would be on the side of caution.
So Lilly goes to the Cubs and Cashman turns his focus on Pettitte, a far more accomplished pitcher who yesterday ended his Hamlet act and confirmed what everybody knew along - that he would not be retiring at age 34.
In fact, the Hendricks brothers said, Pettitte said he wants to pitch in 2007 "and perhaps beyond."
What a remarkable change of heart!
But lest anyone think this was a Pettitte overture for a sentimental return to the Bronx so he can finish his career in pinstripes, know this: What we really heard yesterday was a clarion call by the Hendricks brothers to Pettitte's hometown team of choice, the Houston Astros, to step up the plate and pay him the $16.4 million he made last year while winning 14 games for them. All of this has been carefully orchestrated.
Thanks to the Hendricks brothers, it's common knowledge that the Yankees are good for, at the very least, a one-year deal for $16 million for Pettitte, while the Astros, who didn't offer him arbitration because they didn't want to be on the hook for that much, are holding firm at one year, $12 million.
The object is to shame Astros owner Drayton McLane, who has already shelled out $100 million for slugger Carlos Lee and another $12.5 million for veteran starter Woody Williams, into ponying up another $4 mil-$5 mil to keep his hometown boy home. As of last night, McLane wasn't budging.
As he prepared to leave the winter meetings empty-handed, Cashman is monitoring the standoff in Houston. His conscience was clear about Lilly and much as he would like to bring back Pettitte, he has no delusions about it having anything to do with sentimentality. As always, it's everything to do about the money.
Originally published on December 7, 2006
Bronx Bomber: Links are fine. Even a few graphs. But please don't cut and paste the whole story. I believe that's a copyright issue...
Si's Jon Heyman said that Lefty Andy Pettitte is leaning toward the bombers and his decision could come very soon!!!!
Yessssssssss!!!!!!!Espn 1050 the Michael Kay show and espnews just reported Andy Pettitte has signed a one year contract with the yanks with an option for a second year!!!!!!!!!
The deal was for 16 million with a player option for the 2nd season!!!!!
Who cares about Shea Hillenbrand the prodigal son is back 186-104 3.81 14-9 in postseason 3.75 # 46 is back were he belongs!!!!!!!
No doubt atticas I agree with you 110%!!!!!! Bring the old guard back get the #22 out on July 1st cano will be giving up that # for a couple of months.
July 1st
wang
Pettitte
clemens
moose
johnson/igawa/hughes
Who cares about damaso Marte shut the f... up!!! The prodigal son is back everyone should be doing shots of crown right now!!! We have enough bullpen mo,proctor,farns.,bruney,brition,myers!!!! We needed a starter desperately and we got one, one of are own!!!!!