(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)Here is Pettitte's opening statement from today's press conference:
"I just wanted to say, well, I'm happy to be back here and again looking forward to giving the Yankees every ounce of energy I have this season. I want to thank the New York Yankees for giving me a few extra days with my family. I think they realize this has taken a toll on my family, and other than my relationship with God, my family is the No. 1 priority in my life.
I want to apologize to the New York Yankees' and to the Houston Astros' organizations and to their fans and to all my teammates and to all of baseball fans for the embarrassment I have caused them. I also want to tell anyone that is an Andy Pettitte fan I am sorry, especially any kids that might look up to me. Since graduating from high school, I have spent my life working with young kids at my church and in my community. I never want a young person to do what I did.
Anyone that has followed my career knows that I have battled elbow problems the entire time. Again, like I said before, I never took this to get an edge on anyone. I did this to try to get off the DL and to do my job. And again, for that, I am sorry for the mistakes I've made.
I have been put in a situation that I think no one should ever be put. Being put in the middle of a situation between two men I have known for a long time has been a very difficult time for me over the last couple of months. I have never tried to take sides in Roger (Clemens) and Mac's (Brian McNamee) situation, but I've only been honest.
Roger has been one my closest friends in baseball over the last nine years. He has taught me more about pitching than I ever could have imagined. Mac has pushed me in my workouts harder than anyone I've ever worked with. I have been friends with Roger and Mac for a long time and, hopefully, will continue to be friends after this.
As far as the situation with my dad, I am sorry for not telling the whole truth in my original statement after the Mitchell Report was released. I am human, just like anyone else, and people make mistakes. I never wanted to bring my dad into a situation like this. This was between me and him, and no one else. I testified about my dad in part because I felt in my heart I had to, but mainly because he urged me to tell the truth, even if it hurt him. Most of you know that my dad has had numerous health problems, especially with his heart, and he was just trying to do anything to help himself feel better. He is a private individual, not a professional athlete like myself, and his privacy should be respected.
I hope with the help from y'all, that I can put all this behind me and continue to do what I've always tried to do - that is to help bring the New York Yankees another world championship."
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At the time you signed your new contract with the Yankees did you know about being included in the Mitchell Report, and do you feel like you misled the team?
Andy said he didn't remember if he knew, but doesn’t feel like he misled the team. It was announced later in the press conference that he probably didn't know he was on the Mitchell Report when signing the deal.
How did you find out you were going to be included in the Mitchell Report?
He said McNamee "had given me a heads up about [the Mitchell Report]."
Do you consider yourself a cheater?
“There are no other surprises out there.”
Pettitte also said that "if [HGH] was illegal [in baseball] I wouldn't have done it."
As most people have pointed out it was banned by baseball. Using any controlled substance without a prescription has been illegal in baseball since the 1970s. So there goes that excuse.
He also said he used HGH was because he was "stupid" and "desperate," and that he " never thought of it as giving me some sort of advantage. ... I was told it could help repair tissue. I thought it was the right thing to do."
What do you expect from the fans when you're on the road?
"As far as this baseball season, I've always had to face the hostile crowds because I'm a Yankee. But this will bring a different element into it, but I have to deal with it. ... When I'm on the mound I have blinders on."
Did you think about quitting?
“I would be lying if I said [retiring] didn’t cross my mind,” Pettitte said. “Not over the last couple of days, because I’m fully committed to the team and the organization. But it’s been a hard offseason.
“I did think about that, but that wouldn’t be an honorable thing to do as a man, I don’t think.
“[Whatever the consequences] I have to take it like a man and try to do my job."
Why haven't you talked to Roger since the hearings?Do you think you are going to need to repair your relationship?
"The main reason is because I don't think it would be smart to talk to him before the hearings and stuff... sure, I'll be honest, it put a strain on our friendship, because I usually talk to him."
"It's kind of an uncomfortable situation."
Do you feel like your friendship with Roger can be repaired?
"I hope that the friendship with roger will still be there. Like I said I love the guy. I love the guy like a brother, and I hope that the relationship will still be there."
A little more on Clemens and McNamee: "I think Roger knows how I feel about him. He knows that I've admired him and I continue to admire him. He's been a great friend to me, and I've spent an awful lot of time with him. I love him like a brother. The situation is a horrible situation. Mac's a good friend of mine also. Mac told the truth about me, so it's not like I have some vendetta. It's just been a horrible situation for me. Those guys are my friends, ones I've known for a long time and care about dearly."
How did you tell your kids about all this?
“I called my two boys…and just let them know what was going to happen, and just prepare them… I told them, dad made a mistake… that was tough, that was tough for me.”
Andy also said he wasn’t going to bring his father into this, but his father told him he had to tell the truth, and he said he also wanted “to be able to sleep at night.”
Have you though about how you will address the team?
I’m not sure what I'm going to do, I’ve definitely been thinking about that. More than anything just apologize to them.”
Do you think the game is clean now?
“I would like to think that the game is getting cleaned up.”
Have you heard anything from MLB, and do you think you will be suspended?
“I have not heard from MLB, and I don’t think I will be suspended.”
Are you ready for spring training?
“I’m ready.”
"My arm feels great."He also said that if he's lagging behind in any area that it's his leg strength.
Why didn't you testify at the hearing, and how did that come about?
"I didn't testify at the hearing for one, because I'll admit it, I didn't want to do it."
"My lawyers were able to get me out of it."
** Brian Cashman, Joe Girardi, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera were all at the press conference, showing their support for Pettitte. This was great to see, and Pettitte seemed pleasantly surprised.
Peter Abraham tells us that
as Andy Pettitte sat down, he noticed Derek Jeter, Mariano River and Jorge Posada sitting down off to the side.
“Hey, those are my boys over there,” he said to Joe Girardi. “All right.”
All in all I think it was a good day for Pettitte and the Yankees. He came off as sincere, and hopefully everyone can move forward now and focus on baseball.
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