The Yankees immortalized Andy Pettitte by retiring the starting pitcher’s No. 46 and giving him a plaque in Monument Park on Sunday before the team’s game against the Indians at Yankee Stadium.
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He never had great stuff or topped 94 miles per hour, his starts more hard work than works of art. But there was Pettitte on Sunday pulling the cover off his No. 46, getting gifts at home plate from both Hal Steinbrenner and Jennifer Steinbrenner-Swindal, tossing out the first pitch to longtime battery-mate Jorge Posada.
The 43-year-old Pettitte was emotional as the team unveiled his plaque in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium during a pregame ceremony.
Those three were on the field with other icons of the glory years – David Cone, Tino Martinez, Joe Torre, Scott Brosius, Paul O’Neill and Hideki Matsui – for the ceremony.
After 38 passed balls in A-ball in 1993 – Posada still remembers that number off the top of his head – an offseason conversation with Ivan Rodriguez sparked a tangible change. He hit. 273 across 17 career seasons. From his high points of winning the MVP as a Yankee in 2005 and 2007, and helping the Yankees to the 2009 World Series championship, to the sinking lows of his stunning admittance of using performance-enhancing drugs in 2009; the bitterness that included the fight against baseball and suing his own players’ union.
Some fellow Yankee luminaries were of course on hand… “All I can say is I just thank God for it. I really don’t have an explanation for it”. He never had a losing season with the Yankees. “That’s all I wanted”. Coming to the position so late meant his knees were spared some of the long-term abuse. Pettitte has the most wins of any left-hander in the franchise’s illustrious history and his 2,020 strikeouts are the most for any pitcher. Those two came up through the organization together and made their major league debuts during the 1995 season. Former teammates, coaches and other guests will be involved with the festivities.
Of all places it was on the wall of the Fenway Park weight room that Posada found a picture of Munson with an inspirational quote about the importance of catching and leadership above all else.
While many of his Core Four teammates played and acted by the book, proper and clean-cut, Posada stood out for the raw emotion he rarely tried to hide.
All thats left is a big bash for Jeter, his No. 2 the final available single digit.
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Posada was selected to play in five All-Star Games in his career.
