Skip to main content

Losing One More From The Core

DPAndyPettiteRetirement

Andy Pettitte is now retired. It is a statement that is very hard for yours truly to grasp. It seems as long as I’ve been in love with this game called baseball, Andy Pettitte has been a name, a talent, a pitcher, that I have always enjoyed watching, and sometimes, learning from. Dating back to 1993 when I began to really love and understand the great game played in the summer, the Yankees weren’t very good. While I managed to catch Don Mattingly towards the end of his career, the hope that was for Yankee fans at the time was tied up in names like Roberto Kelly, Kevin Maas, and Russ Davis.

However, beginning in 1995, due to guys like Gene Michael and Buck Showalter, guys like Bernie Williams, Paul O’neill (although he was established and there before), Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera were given their time to develop. And well, without reexamining history, 4 championships in 5 years occurred – and then one more, of course, just recently in 2009.


DPAndyPettiteRetirement1And while everyone of those members were key members, pretty much the core, what has begun is the now phasing out of that core. The same group I grew up watching every night, cheering for unconditionally in October, and I’ll be honest, being spoiled rotten by their constant winning on World Series titles.


Watching “The Warrior, Paul O’neill hit plus .300 every year, while playing an amazing right field is no longer.

Shaking my head in amazement at watching a switch-hitting center fielder that won gold gloves and contends for the hitting title in Bernie Williams is long-gone. 

And now, Andy Pettitte, the best big game pitcher to where a Yankee uniform I’ve ever seen in my lifetime, has exited the game.

And with the remaining members now with declining skills, the scary part is that this will all be over soon. This group of core members are on their way out.

And on a day like today where Andy Pettitte walks away, I’m reminded of how privileged I am to have watched his entire career. In fact, that’s a tell-tale sign of becoming old – you know, actually watching a player’s entire career, from beginning to end. And while the baseball fan in me knows he will not make the Hall of Fame, the name of Andy Pettitte will always be synonymous with my childhood, great times, big games, fist pumps, sweet pick-off moves, and championships.

And oh yeah, the very thing I will miss the most – that stare! That intense, competitive, focused stare. Man, am I going to miss that!

Andy Pettitte, another true gamer lost. Another great player, lost. Another piece of that very core, lost.

Recently Read

Was It Ever Real?

Does time change me? Or, did I evolve through experience? How many signals did I miss? Or, did I choose this fate? Do I understand the wrongs and regrets? Or, did I act with the best interest in the moment? What did they say about me? And, what will they say about me today? Was I appreciated? Or, did I imagine that? What were the opinions in the shadows? And, what were the feelings expressed before me? Is it a misunderstanding?  Or, a matter of not confirming?  Why didn’t it last? Or, was it never meant to? …ever able to? Was it ever real? Some of it? Part of it?

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 2/23/25

3 Up   1. New Old Cookbook - I thought this was really cool. The oldest published cookbook just got a remake and is now available. The cookbook, by Malinda Russell, is 160 years old. There has to be some really good (clean) stuff in that book. It's also Black History Month (are we still allowed to push that?), and there's a lot of history and significance that can be found through food.  2. Frankie Munoz - This dude went from Malcolm in the Middle and decided, I'm gonna be a race car driver! Munoz finished 10th recently in his debut as a NASCAR driver.  3. Yankees Policy - It's about time. The Yankees really were eventually going to find themselves in something MUCH uglier than a narrative surrounding "would George have done this?!" or "Why, this is the Yankee way!". Kudos to Hal Steinbrenner for the move.  3 Down 1. Another Plane Crash - This one in Toronto. A place landed on its roof. What is going on out there? Doesn't help when you read and ...

Pondering with Plumtree:Having Fun: Ponderings From #TNANYC 1/7 & 1/9 Tapings

Pondering with Plumtree is a column on the popular blog, TNAsylum, that is written by yours truly. The blog is focused towards being a fan site for TNA Wrestling fans where they can get news, rumors, opinions, and any and everything else, TNA Wrestling. Known as "The Haven for TNA Wrestling Fans", I'm hoping to bring some of my thoughts to an already impressive roster of columnist for as long as the site will have me. You can read the latest column here , or in the text below.