Pettitte to Astros, N.Y. Close on Brown

AP, via New York Post ^ | 12.11.2003 | Ronald Blum

[NYC GOP Chick]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Andy Pettitte chose home over history, agreeing Thursday to sign with the Houston Astros and leave the New York Yankees.

New York wasted little time in trying to land a replacement, closing in on a trade with Los Angeles that would send Kevin Brown to the Yankees for Jeff Weaver in a swap of starters, a baseball official said on the condition of anonymity.

[RiVer19]

Sheffield has a horrible post-season record. And, watching him a lot as an Atlanta fan I can tell you his favorite offensive play is "pop-up to third".

Now, his numbers are good. I wish Atlanta was keeping him. But, he's not there for you when you need him it seems. Chipper was much more clutch and came through for you when you really needed it. Sheffield is a good player. But, I don't think he's as good as made out to be because he doesn't come through for you in tough moments.

[Viva Le Dissention]

Ah, baseball...sigh. What a great game. I'm just sorry the current commish is doing is best to ruin it.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"You know, Buckner gets a lot of crap for that game, and I think a lot of that is undeserved--certainly to the point where he basically got run out of baseball. "

---

The whole thing was John McNamara's fault for leaving Buckner out there in the bottom of the 10th. Buckner was badly hurt, and so every time the Red Sox had a late-inning lead, they brought in Dave Stapleton for defense. But McNamara decided to leave Buckner on the field so that he could celebrate on the field as the third out is made (as a gesture of appreciation for his hard work), forgetting that if the Red Sox let the Mets score two or more runs there would not be any celebrating that evening. Poor Billy Buck was sent out to the Angels the next year, and was never given a starting job again. He was a good player, not great, but deserves a better fate than he got.

[veryconernedamerican]

what a bunch of fools the dodgers will be if they make that trade.

[Mr. Mojo]

and they're fixing to trade for the best pitcher in baseball.

Who's that?

[Mr. Mojo]

Weaver and Brown are very similiar pitchers

Similar in pitching sytle, you mean? .....'Cause the former is a complete (and bad) joke, while the latter has been one of the best pitchers in baseball the last decade.

[VA_Gentleman]

Why would you want Kevin Brown? He's old, over-paid, and often injured. He's past his prime. The Yanks just tried to replace a Mercedes with a 1988 Yugo.

[Mr. Mojo]

If he had stayed in New York, he would have had the chance to surpass Whitey Ford's 236 victories and become the winningest left-hander in team history.

Those two shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath. First of all Petttite is a full 87 wins behind him. And secondly Whitey's lifetime ERA is 2.75, where Pettitte's is a less-than-impressive 3.94. ......And Whitey's incredible stat included the down years of this career, which Petttitte has not yet seen.

[Mr. Mojo]

It a good question ......If I had my druthers, I certainly wouldn't sign him. Not only is he oft-injured and at the end of his career, but the one time he made it to the big dance (against the Yankees) he pitched some of the worst ball of his career.

[Cincinatus]

He's a money pitcher when it's playoff time.

Now all the Astros have to do is make it to the playoffs.

[Hildy]

Run out of the game? He was run out of the State, not to mention all the death threats. It was appalling what Boston did to that man.

[Mr. Mojo]

Ping

[Mr. Mojo]

and they're fixing to trade for the best pitcher in baseball.

You couldn't be talking about Kevin Brown, could you? I might put Brown in the game's current top 20, but #1 ....puhleeze. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Brown has certainly been one of baseball's best during the past decade, but considering where he is at this stage of his career (especially with his injuries), I wouldn't place him among the elite. And he has never shown himself to be a big-game pitcher, which Pettitte has shown to be on countless occasions.

[anymouse]

So now, do you think the Stros have a chance at the pennant? :)

[PetroniDE]

Not yet...

Need two things.

1) Top level relief pitcher.
2) Get rid of any players who previously played for the Chicago Cubs (i.e. the "cub" factor).

[1Old Pro]

Brown is too old. Besides, next year 2 of 3 Oakland superstar pitchers are free agents, we'll take two please.

[NYCVirago]

Wow...Pettite is one of the best lefties in the game.. for NY to not even make him an offer, a place where he has pitched his heart out, is inconceivable.

The Yankees offered him $10 million more than Houston did. That's hardly not making an offer.

[brewcrew]

The Yanks haven't won the Series since New York elected Hillary.

I'd gladly cheer the Yankees winning the Series if it meant getting rid of that evil skank.

[NYCVirago]

Andy Pettitte lost me as a fan forever when he had his father whine to the New York Times yesterday about how the Yankees treated him. Boo bleeding hoo!

[WL-law]

He was run out of the State, not to mention all the death threats. It was appalling what Boston did to that man.

Well, that requires you to believe that Buckner was telling the truth. I think it was just as likely to be self-invented self-pity on Buckner's part.