“I’m going to let them let everybody know what we’ve got going on,” Pettitte said. “I feel like I’m ready, and I think they’re ready for me to come up.”
Pettitte gave up five runs — three earned — on eight hits through five innings. The final pitching line isn’t particularly good, but according to my old friend Donnie Collins, Pettitte said after the game that he feels ready for major-league hitters.
“I do,” Pettitte said. “I just felt like it was getting my work in. Felt really good my last start, had a better feel for my offspeed pitches. I don’t know, I just couldn’t feel the ball coming off my fingers real well (today). Maybe the heat down in Tampa helps with that. All in all, it was good. It was good to get out there, get in trouble and have to work my way out of trouble, just going through what you have to go through to get ready. … It’s inevitable, I believe, to get me up there and get in the mix.”
This was Pettitte’s sixth minor league start, and his second in a row approaching 100 pitches.
“Speaking with them, there was no rush,” Pettitte said. “We knew all along, they were telling me how many starts I needed to make if I stayed healthy and continued to progress and feel good about things. There was no need to rush, because it’s difficult what I’m trying to do. I’m excited to get back, and I believe everyone is excited to get me back. I’m looking to go up there and do my part. I think everybody knows what to expect from me. I don’t go out there and throw shutouts or complete game shutouts. I’m going to battle and give six, seven, eight innings. I’m going to battle my tail off. It’s not going to be easy for me, and it never has been easy for me.”












Thanks for providing this report. With Pettitte getting his pitch count near 100, he's likely ready for the Bigs....
