Last week, the Yankees showed off Andy Pettitte in the Bronx, putting the lanky lefty through the dog-and-pony show of an introduction.
It was a nice gesture and a pleasant ceremony, but New York knows Pettitte and vice versa. That cut the introductions short and created a perfect opportunity to find out more about Pettitte's friend, Roger Clemens.
At one point during an informal press conference, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had to pause and say: "This is Andy Pettitte we're talking about here. We're not talking about Roger Clemens."
But Yankees fans are ready to discuss The Rocket, judging by the amount of questions sent in this week. Some of you are extremely pro-Clemens; others, not so much.
We'll get to that and much more in the second Yankees mailbag of 2007:
With Clemens' recent announcement that his return may be even later than last year, have the Yankees changed anything in their approach toward him? -- Jeremy P., Oakhurst, N.J.
Clemens hasn't yet said where, when or if he will pitch in 2007, and this drama is going to stretch out long past the date when pitchers and catchers report to Tampa (Feb. 13). One thing appears certain: If Clemens decides to be on a mound in 2007, the Yankees want it to be theirs.
Cashman had been rather coy in public discussions regarding Clemens, but at the Pettitte press conference, he pulled no punches, calling the Rocket a "perfect employee" during his time in the Bronx and glowing about Clemens' work ethic and clubhouse presence with teammates and staff.
It not only appears that Clemens will pitch a partial season, but he may join any potential club -- the Yankees, Red Sox or Astros -- even later than he made his first start for Houston last year, which was June 22 vs. Minnesota.
That means that the Yankees will still need to plan for at least 12 weeks of having a pitcher not named Clemens in their rotation. That's plenty of time to see if the rotation can remain intact, if Kei Igawa and Carl Pavano are contributors, if Philip Hughes and his Minor League compatriots are ready or any other number of questions that could be surrounding the Yankees near the All-Star break.
Who knows? If all breaks right, it's possible that the Yankees might not even need Clemens by that point. That's a long shot. What team could say, "Not interested" to Clemens? The safe bet is that they'll push for Clemens no matter what the situation.
Are the Yankees giving Humberto Sanchez a Spring Training invitation? According to reports, he is ready for the big leagues and is very impressive. He is not listed as an invitee. -- Tom D., New York
There was some confusion on this. Sanchez will be in Spring Training as a member of the Yankees' 40-man roster. He was on the Detroit Tigers' 40-man at the time of the trade that brought him to the Bronx in November.
Based on reports I've seen, I'm not sure if Sanchez is ready for the big leagues just yet -- he made just nine Triple-A starts in 2006 and didn't finish great -- but he's close and will get a good look in camp. No matter what, the rotation at Triple-A Scranton should be stacked to begin the year. Is it possible to get Bobby Murcer's address? Bobby has always been one of my favorite players. He is truly a class individual. I believe in the power of prayer and will ask my entire church to remember him in their prayers. He truly is not in this battle alone! -- Leroy W., Nakina, N.C.
Many, many fans wrote in with touching stories of their appreciation for Murcer, who recently learned that the brain tumor he had removed on Dec. 28 was malignant. Murcer has asked for your prayers as he fights this development.
Murcer's e-mail address -- along with that of the rest of the Yankees' broadcast team -- is listed here on MLB.com as media@yankees.com. You can also send postal mail to Murcer through the YES Network:
Yankees Entertainment and Sports 405 Lexington Avenue, 36th Floor New York, NY 10174-3699
Do you think Don Mattingly will have a good shot for the Hall of Fame in '08, since there is not a strong class coming up? -- Tom M., Las Vegas
It doesn't appear likely. The problem that Hall of Fame voters have with Mattingly is that, though he was one of the game's premier players from 1984-89, injuries robbed him of that elite status in his latter years.
Mattingly was a terrific Yankee, and I understand why fans want to see him in Cooperstown, but voters must consider the entire picture when evaluating a player's career. Mattingly received just 54 of a possible 545 votes this year (9.9 percent). It would be an astronomical jump to get to 75 percent and Induction Day.
Based upon comments Mattingly has made, it seems that even he has accepted that for the foreseeable future, his retired No. 23 in Monument Park will have to do. There's no shame in that.
Goose Gossage, however, is knocking on the door pretty loudly, falling just 21 votes shy this time. The next Hall of Fame vote could be it -- a long overdue honor, in my humble opinion.
Should the Yankees try to trade Pavano for a pizza pie, and get rid of his salary at the same time? Pavano has never proven himself to be a consistent winning pitcher. -- Jay J., Brooklyn, N.Y.
At $10 million for 2007 and $11 million for 2008, plus a $1.95 million buyout for Pavano's 2009 club option, you're talking about some ridiculously expensive slices of pepperoni and cheese.
Seriously, though, it's been no secret that the Yankees have been underwhelmed with what Pavano has given them (17 starts, 4-6, 4.45 ERA in 2005). He not only hasn't been the pitcher that the Yankees expected, for all of last season, he wasn't a Major League pitcher, period.
But Pavano is on the payroll for now, and the Yankees owe it to themselves to see if he can ever come close to replicating the performances in Florida that originally wooed them. Surely, Pavano hasn't enjoyed his turn of events much, either.
Cashman noted earlier this winter that to trade Pavano, he'd have to pick up a significant portion of his salary and wouldn't get much in return as far as players or prospects -- a classic case of buying high and selling low.
I'm no stock-market wizard, but that's a no-no on Wall Street. It applies here, too.
