Pettitte: Yankees or no one in 2008

From Kat O'Brien:

Andy Pettitte said during the season that he would either return to the Yankees or retire. But with all the Yankees' recent changes, it would have been reasonable to wonder if he was having second thoughts.

Pettitte nixed the idea that he might play elsewhere next year, in an interview with Houston's FOX 26 Sports (KRIV). The story was posted on the TV station's Web site. He told KRIV that he will either play for the Yankees next year or not at all.

"The New York Yankees committed an awful lot of money to me and put it in my hands, gave me a player option and trusted me with that option," Pettitte told KRIV Tuesday. "It probably wouldn't be real honorable for me not to do anything other than if I shut it down, shut it down or go back and play for the New York Yankees." (Newsday)

This is good news. The Yankees will have a young rotation next year (Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain, as well as Chien-Ming Wang) and a having a veteran like Pettitte in the mix would be huge. Hopefully Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman can convince him to exercise his option.

Pettitte has until November 7 to decide whether he will pick up his player option or not.