Hall of Fame Polls: Andy Pettitte

We are going to see the Spiderman movie this afternoon. We likely shouldn’t, with Covid numbers doubling daily in Alberta. But then our Premier had a big Christmas party, so I figured I should get to see a movie.

I wonder how long it will be before he has to add some restrictions. As much as my gym closing would hurt, I think something needs be done. We are a day or two from setting a new high water-mark for new Covid cases.

Anyway, next on the list is Jake Peavy. Peavy had a nice 15-year MLB career, finishing 152-126 with a 3.63 ERA in 388 games, 377 starts and a 3.63 ERA. Good for a 37.2 bWAR. Like many new ones on the ballot, he had a pretty good peak, but he didn’t get the bulk numbers that make him a Hall of Famer.

He won a Cy Young award (in 2007) when he was 19-6 with a 2.54 ERA. He made 3 All-Star teams, won a Gold Glove, led the NL in ERA twice and led in strikeouts twice.

On the ‘but’ side, he won 19 games once. Beyond that, his career-high in wins was 15. He had over 10 wins 8 times. He had a nice run of five seasons where he went 68-44 with a 2.95 ERA. The rest of his career was injury-plagued.

I was never a big fan of Andy Pettitte. For one, he was a Yankee. And I always thought he was overrated. Plus, I could never remember how many Ts are in his name.

But he did have a pretty nice career. 18 seasons. 256-153 record with a 3.85 ERA. 531 games, 521 starts. He is 40th all-time in games started. He had a 60.7 bWAR, good for 60th all-time among pitchers.

He was 3rd in Rookie of the Year voting in 1995. The following year he went 21-8 with a 3.87 ERA coming in second in Cy Young voting (Pat Hentgen won it that year, in a very close vote). He would win 21 games again in 2003.

Pettitte pitched nine seasons with the Yankees and then signed with the Astros as a free agent. After three years there, he went back to the Yankees. Andy played there for five years and then ‘retired’. After sitting out the 2011 season, he returned to the Yankees for two more seasons. In 2013 he went 11-11 with a 3.74 ERA in 30 starts at age 41. After that, he retired for good.

Andy won five World Series rings, four with the Yankees and one with the Astros. He holds MLB playoff records for wins (19), starts (44), and innings (276.2).

And, of course, there was some controversy. Pettitte admitted using human growth hormones to “help recover from elbow surgery.” He said Roger Clemen’s trainer got it for him. He also noted that Clemons used PEDs.

I’m curious if that affects his vote total from the Writers. He played into his 40s, suggesting he may have had more help than just recovering from elbow surgery.

It is Andy’s fourth time on the ballot. Last year he was on 13.7% of the ballots, so he needs his numbers to start climbing if he’s going to make it. In his last years on the ballot, there will be a movement to get him to that 75%. But then I’m not sure he’ll make it.

His career numbers are here.