New York Yankees’ Andy Pettitte to retire
Many would have thought of it as evitable, but now it is soon to become a reality. Andy Pettitte, the veteran lefty New York Yankees’ player, will be retiring today morning. The announcement will come from inside the Yankees’ stadium in Bronx on Friday, 4 February, closing an illustrious chapter in the player’s life as he now looks towards his family as his top priority. The 38-year-old pitcher has been amiss; his major focus being baseball for the past 16 years.
Coming back to the Yankees’ squad was not going to be an easy decision altogether. Andy’s family has been eluded of his presence for long. He needed to make a critical decision between playing for the club and looking after his wife and children. His age was a big factor in the mix and it eventually played a decisive role in the outcome today.
Pettitte will be leaving the Yankees in a difficult state, following their rotation woes that the free agency has not been able to deal with. Nevertheless, Andy’s news conference will be held in the Yankee Stadium and it will be broadcast on many websites. General Manager Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi will be present at the occasion. Pettitte has been part of the Pinstripes organization since 1995. Back then, he was one of the best players to dawn Major League Baseball.
"Andy played with a competitive spirit that brought out the best in the teams he played for, and he exemplified this franchise's commitment and will to win. He was an anchor for the tremendous success our team has achieved since the mid-1990s," Hal and Hank Steinbrenner said in a statement on Thursday.
Andy Pettitte leads the play-offs’ wins tally with 19 victories, while 42 starts and 263 innings pitched in the post-season make him an interesting player for the team. His departure from the Yankees was not for him. Cashman iterated his stance on the player that he would always be welcomed in the rotation again.
"He cares deeply about this franchise, whether it's in 2011 or 2020," Cashman said last week.
"He wants us to always win and be successful. He knows he'll always be a Yankee, but whether he decides to pitch again is what's at issue. He has, at this stage, decided not to pitch."
Andy Pettitte leaves a great legacy behind. His name will be etched in history as a top performer in not only the game but in the team as well.
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