Pettitte won't make it easy for Yankees

Because a year older Andy Pettitte will surely be just as productive as this year’s Andy Pettitte.

The organization has interests too, and that includes fielding a team of players that brings more production than they were paid. One man’s “lack of respect” is another’s “actuarial table.”

Pay him a slightly higher base, but also a slightly higher incentive ceiling, then see what happens.

The same thing happened last year, as Pettitte turned down a 10 mil deal initially and then wound up having to settle for the incentive-ladel deal late in the offseason. I can’t see any other team offering him more than 1/10 this year either so I’d just wait hi out again.

gonna be 38 in 2010 and even though he had a great year last year I can see the Yanks being hesitant to give him 10 million straight up. The thing is Andy’s proven himself over and over and age was no factor when the Yanks gave Posada and Rivera 3-4 year deals in their late 30’s. You might argue that part of what they got paid was also a show of respect for years of solid, and in many cases spectacular service. However Pettite probably understands that the Yanks feel he’s more replaceable than those two. No other MLB team will pay Pettite what he wants, and the Yanks are using that as leverage to “lowball” him. If they simply pony up what Pettite wants and chalk it up to performance and years of good service it’ll have a trickle-down effect on every other late 30’s Yankee who can still get it done. That’s surely the Yank’s line of thinking. Because they can afford whatever Pettite wants to be paid You know Jeter’s gonna be 36 next year and his contract is up. Does he deserve 19 million again? Is he as good as was when he signed that contract? In spite of his great season the answer is no, but he’s the symbol of the organization and I would not be shocked at all if he got as much or more than 19 per. Now even though Pettite’s value to the franchise on and off the field is high it’s not in Jeter’s range one might understand how Pettite feels that a base salary that’s 9 million less than Derek’s is “unfair”. I’d give him 10 million base and with incentives that could make it reach 15 million.