A Look Back at the Career of Andy Pettitte

Mr. Andrew Eugene Pettitte was undoubtedly one of the all-time Yankees greats in franchise history. He’s best known for having ice in his veins when pitching deep into playoff ballgames, having one of the best pick-off moves in baseball history and his signature stare back at opposing batters.

Today, the southpaw will be honored by the New York Yankees with a plaque in monument park and his No. 46 jersey being retired for good just one day after fellow Core Four member Jorge Posada received the same honor.

Before his number and legacy will be stowed away in Monument Park for years to come, here’s a look back at the brilliant career of ‘Dandy’ Andy Pettitte.

It all started when the Yankees selected Pettitte in 22nd round (594th overall) of the 1990 MLB Draft. Interestingly enough, he originally decided to play college baseball for San Jacinto College North in Houston Texas, but because San Jacinto was a junior college and not a four-year school, the Yankees were able to retain his rights and signed him as a draft-and-follow prospect.

On May 25th, 1991 he signed his first professional contract with the Yankees. That same year Pettitte made his minor league debut and pitched for the Gulf Coast Yankees and Oneonta Yankees. Ironically, Pettitte teamed up with Jorge Posada for the first time during his time with Oneonta that season.

Three years later, a than 22-year old prospect, Andy Pettitte won the Yankees Minor League Pitcher of the Year award in 1994, going a combined 14-4 with a 2.86 ERA and 111 strikeouts split between the Albany-Colonie Yankees (AA) and Columbus Clippers (AAA).

Pettitte made his MLB debut on April 29, 1995 as a reliever on the road against the Kansas City Royals. His first career strikeout was again Joe Vitiello.

Ironically, Pettite was optioned back to AAA just one month later, and it was fellow Core Four teammate Mariano Rivera who would come up and take his spot.

Eleven days after being sent down, Pettitte was recalled due to an injury to reliever Jimmy Key. Starting pitchers Scott Kamieniecki and Melido Perez suffered injuries shortly after, allowing Pettitte to become a member of the starting rotation, and he finally made a name for himself. He recorded his first major league victory on June 7th against the Oakland Athletics after pitching 7.0 innings of four hit baseball, allowing just one earned run while striking out three.

He continued to shine through the summer of 1995, leading all Yankees starters in ERA and winning six of his last seven starts. He eventually finished the 1995 season with a 12-9 record and 4.17 ERA, and finished in third for the ’95 American League Rookie of the Year Award.

He started the 1996 season again in the Yankees bullpen, but didn’t stay long before being promoted to the starting rotation. He finished that season a remarkable 21-8, earning his first All-Star Game nomination and finishing as the runner-up for the 1996 American League Cy Young Award to Toronto’s Pat Hentgen.

In 1997 Andy Pettite was finally a full-time starting pitcher, and started 35 + games for the first time in his major league career, and the rest was history.

He would go one to pitch another six brilliant seasons with the New York Yankees before leaving as a free-agent to pitch for his hometown Houston Astros. He came back to the Yankees and pitched from 2007-2010 before stepping away from the game for a year. He returned for two more season, and retired for good alongside Mariano Rivera and his 652 saves in 2013.

When all was said and done, Andy Pettitte was a decorated three-time all-star – 1996, 2001, and 2010 and a five-time World Series Champion – 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009.

In 2001, he was awarded the American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player and in 2003 Andy Pettitte was awarded the Warren Spahn Award for the best left-handed pitcher in all of baseball.

He is the only MLB pitcher since 1930 to win at least 12 games in each of his first nine seasons, and never finished a single season under the .500 mark. Overall, Pettitte had a 256–153 win-loss record with a 3.85 ERA and 2,448 strikeouts.

Among New York Yankees pitchers, Pettitte ranks first in strikeouts (2,020), tied-for-first in games started (438), and third in wins (219). From 1995-2010, no major league pitcher accumulated more regular season victories than ‘Dandy Andy’. His 148 wins from 2000 to 2009 were the most of the decade and his 19-career playoff wins makes him the winningest MLB pitcher in post-season history.

Now for a quick side note from me, the author…

Andy, you are by-far my most favorite pitcher to ever the play the game. You’re an icon. Your will to win and courageous actions have taught me that there is no substitute for hard work.

Watching you record the final out in your final complete game victory over the Houston Astros and fist pump like you were 21-years old again on September 28, 2013 is something no Yankees fan my age will ever forget.

Mr. Andrew Eugene Pettitte, you’re a Hall of Famer in my book.

Thank you for everything Andy! Enjoy the Day!

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