Lost amongst big stories like Josh Hamilton's freakish week at the plate, the Orioles leading the AL East, and Bryce Harper's major league debut, was Andy Pettitte coming out of retirement and rejoining the Yankees yesterday. It was in March that Andy announced he felt the competitive juices flowing again and wanted to attempt a comeback, and the Yankees indulged him with a minor league deal. Who would have known at the time that the Yankees would need him as much as Pettitte needed the Yankees? In his first start since September 2010, he allowed 4 runs over 6.1 at Yankee Stadium in, as Derek Jeter put it, a "1999 throwback start" against Kevin Millwood and the Mariners. Pettitte seemed to pick up right where he left off, down to about 88 on the fastball but still very effective, keeping hitters off-balance as he does. With the big offseason trade of Michael Pineda out indefinitely and Phil Hughes struggling again, Andy has a chance at age 39, after not having picked up a baseball since throwing a ceremonial first pitch last season, to once again be an anchor of the Yankee rotation. Andy Pettitte is the quintessential team player and embodies everything that's good about baseball, and the game is lucky to have him back on the mound. I can't wait to see him pitch again in one of the many games New York will inevitably be playing on national television this season.
STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 05.14:
Brewers 15-19, -5.0 (2 @ Mets, 2 @ Astros, 3 v. Twins)
Reds 17-16, -2.5 (2 @ Braves, 2 @ Mets, 3 @ Yankees)
Twins 10-24, -8.0 (2 v. Indians, 2 @ Tigers, 3 @ Brewers)
2012 GAMES ATTENDED:
Erik - 2
Peter - 8
touch with baseball when his childhood heroes Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and Jim Gantner retired but the Great Home Run Chase of 1998 reignited his passion. As a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Erik became involved with the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity. With this group Erik traveled to Portland, OR and Baltimore, MD to work on construction projects and help the group raise $25,000 to partially sponsor a house in Milwaukee. Also at UWM, Erik met Peter Nagel. The two attended their first Brewers game together during Opening Weekend 2003. Despite their failure to ignite the coals at their first tailgate, the two had a blast and were soon making weekly trips to the ballpark. Erik has gone on to several colleges and changed careers several times, and has moved all the way out to New Hampshire, but has always stayed true to his baseball roots by holding part-time stadium usher jobs. To this day he looks back fondly on his incredible cross-country journey.
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