1. Hank Steinbrenner is doing something his father was awesome at: Playing both sides of an issue. He says he likes the young pitching, but also that the Yankees better win or else he will hold people (read Brian Cashman) responsible for not getting Johan Santana. So if the Yanks win, he gets to hold a trophy and say, see, I believed in the young pitching. And, if they lose, he gets to say, see, I knew we needed Santana. It is win-win for the new Boss.
2. Joe Girardi came to this job with a reputation for rigidity, but so far he has â in fact â exhibited some important flexibility. He supported Andy Pettitte’s request to come to this camp late to work on some personal issues. And Girardi met with Kei Igawa and agreed to let the lefty do more of the workout regimen, especially when it comes to throwing, that helped make him successful in Japan. In both situations, Girardi shunned the my way orthe highway approach.
3. Andy Pettitte is likeable and that does go a long way at a time like this. No matter how objective you attempt to be â as a human being or as a journalist â your personal feelings do crop up. And most folks who cover the Yankees regularly do like Pettitte. But I will say this: He has been dishonest for a long time about HGH and not completely forthright in recent months. And that is why the whole truth of his involvement must be out now. Because if there is more, then that human nature that bends folks toward liking Pettitte is going to shift dramatically the other way. And any chance he has of public redemption is going to slip away from him forever.
