Andy Pettitte Retires

I was 11 when Andy Pettitte made his MLB debut for the Yankees and I remember the leg kick, the pickoff, move and that stare over the glove that has become increasingly familiar over the last several years.  I remember ALDS 1995 Game two in which this 23 year old kid got the first of many postseason starts.  After getting smashed in game one of the World Series in 1996, Andy came back in Game five and pitched one of the best games I have ever watched in baseball and probably the best postseason pitching performance I had ever witnessed.  Andy had it all, the casual southern texas drawl, the humble spirituality, the family that went everywhere with him...it's guys like this that always seem to blossom in the biggest city and media market in the world.  Andy won 19 postseason games which is a record that will stand for a long time.  His cutter was a pitch of legend as he and Rivera both came up about the same time using that pitch that dominated hitters.  Andy had won 5 World Series rings and out of his 16 years in baseball he was in the World Series 8 times, that is pretty special.  Andy finishes off a stellar career at 240-138 with a 3.88 ERA and 2,251 strikeouts.  In my opinion he should make the Hall of Fame on his Postseason stats alone besides the point that these numbers were put up in the toughest division in baseball, the American League East during the prime of the steriod using era.  Most people are going to argue that because of his admitted HGH use he doesnt deserve that honor but to me he is the only one who just came out and admitted it, he was honest--everybody was doing it and he didnt hide from it.  I respect that and I beleive him.  Either way for me it is the end of an era.  The first of the "Core Four" to fade away with time.  Soon his teamates will join him and I will realize not just how old I am getting but how special this group of players truely was, I mean have you seen the Mets roster?  When I watch these Yankees I know I am watching the greatness that Yankees fans watched generations before me, the biggest names, on the biggest stage, wearing pinstripes with pride.  It was a joy to watch Andy pitch for all those years.  Thanks for the memories...we will see you at old-timers day.