By GEORGE A. KING III
TAMPA — Joe Torreâs feelings for Andy Pettitte arenât a secret. He has long admired Pettitteâs character and professionalism on top of his ability to win big games for the Yankees.
So, when Pettitte surfaced in the Mitchell Report as an HGH user, something he admitted to shortly afterward, and gave sworn deposition before Congress, Torre was at Pettitteâs side.
âI have stayed in touch with him through the process,” Torre told The Post from his Dodgertown office in Vero Beach this morning. âI let him know I cared about what he was going through.” Thirty minutes before Pettitte entered a packed press conference at Legends Field on Monday, Torre reached Pettitte on a cell phone and calmed the left-handerâs frazzled nerves.
âHe apologized to me like everybody else,” Torre said. âI let him know I was there for him. He may have done the things he said he did, but when you know what kind of human being he is and the heart he has, he doesnât have to apologize.”
