Pettitte Discusses His Contract and His Poor Finish to '08

Pettitte spoke to the media today down in Tampa. Mark Feinsand reports on what he had to say about his new contract with the Yanks:

"I feel like I'm going to throw over 200 innings and win hopefully 15-20 games for this team, so I felt like I should make over $10 (million)," Pettitte said. "I didn't care how I had to get to it, and I would bet on me being healthy to do that. That's why I did the contract that I did. If I'm not healthy, if I don't pitch well and get to the innings I need to get, then I don't feel like I need to make the money."

"You don't throw a pity party for yourself," Pettitte said. "They're an organization, this is business and they have to make decisions," he said. "I understand that. These guys are young, they had unbelievable years and they're committing years to these guys. For me, it's a one-year deal. … This organization has paid me well. I appreciate this organization."

Feinsand also reports on the incentives in Pettitte's new deal:

According to the good folks over at Cot's Baseball Contracts, Pettitte will receive $500,000 for reaching 150 innings, then another $500,000 when he reaches both 160 and 170 innings. If he reaches 180, 190, 200 or 210, he earns another $750,000 for each milestone.

He can also pick up $100,000 for being on the active roster (meaning not on the DL) for 120 days, $200,000 for 130, $250,000 for 140 and 150, then ultimately $400,000 for 160, 170 and 180.

So if Pettitte does what he thinks he can do he will make that $10 million.

After starting out 12-7 with a 3.76 ERA Pettitte went into a tailspin/ In his last 11 starts he went 2-7 with a 6.23 ERA. He told the media today that his shoulder was really hurting him and that he had to get corstisone shots to get through those 11 starts.

“My shoulder, for whatever reason, just broke down,” Pettitte said.

Hopefully the time off has helped clear up whatever was going on in there, and this year we'll see more of the Pettitte from the first half of 2008.