Dear Andy

An open letter to Andy Pettitte from someone very close to him.

Dear Andy,

It's been a while since we had a good talk, but I think now is the time for me to step up and remind you of a few things. You're in a quandary right now. You want to play for the Yankees, but you don't want to take a pay cut to come back.

But let me ask you something: How do you want to be remembered, not just by Yankees fans, but by baseball fans and the media, and even your opponents?

As a solid, sometimes spectacular left-hander who helped the Yankees to 4 World Series championships and 2 other World Series appearances?

Or, would you prefer to be thought of as a guy who cheated? No matter how good your intentions might have been, you still cheated. A guy who lied about how many times he used HGH? For all we know you could still be lying about that.

A player who ended his time in Pinstripes because he wouldn't take a pay cut? And let me remind you, it's a pay cut to $10 million, not a-buck-fifty. Yes, CC and A.J. are making big bucks and they never wore the uniform. But they are still in the relatively early stages of their careers, while you're on the other end of the spectrum.

And what about loyalty? You want the Yankees to be loyal to you, but where is some reciprocation? The Steinbrenners have been very good to you. Yes, there was the "not enough love shown" after the 2003 season; we'll give you that. But you did all right over the 9 years prior to that, and in the 2 years since you came back. And you weren't exactly stellar this past season, injuries or not.

Jorge, Mo, Derek...they were all there for you last Spring Training, standing by your side as you 'fessed up. How about showing a little loyalty back? You embarrassed the ball club. If anything, you owe the Yankees something.

Let's face it, you don't need the money. You have more than enough. Remember your good buddy Paul O'Neill? He took $6 million to play his last year in 2001. He could have gone anywhere and made much more money. But he wanted to finish his career as a Yankee. You keep saying you do, but your actions don't match your words.

Am I being tough on you? Maybe. But that's my job.

Sincerely,
Your Conscience