Not exactly how I wanted the 2011 baseball season to start...

Andy Pettitte made his retirement official today.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=6089859

My favorite baseball player ever.   I've followed his entire career closely (through the MLB Extra Innings package). Needless to say, I was very glad I got to see him pitch regularly here in Houston for a few years. When he went back to New York, I wasn't too bothered by it. He'd always been a Yankee, so it seemed like he was going back to who he really was - one of the "core four". 

I watched the press conference today and it's certainly been one of those "remember where you were when" sort of days. I hope he decides to become a pitching coach one day, preferably with the Astros.

Yeah, the Yankees aren't exactly in a position of power like they have been for the past 15 years.  I imagine the Phillies are going to be one of the tougher teams this season.  That rotation is loaded. 

My earliest prediction;  the Astros start the season 0-3. 

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=hou&m=4&y=2011

;-)

Warbler said:

uh oh,  I think Frink just got Anchorhead angry.

Not at all. 

I'll take Pettitte's - lapse of judgment\admission when he didn't have to - over Clemens, Bonds, McGwire, & Palmiero and any day of the week.

*edit*

When I say didn't have to, I mean after he was named by the Mitchell Report.  He owned up to the report because he felt it was the right thing to do.  He scheduled a press conference, told when the two instances took place, where he got the HGH, and then answered questions about it. 

He didn't go the Clemens\Palmiero route and claim outrage that the commoners would dare slur his manhood in such an undeserving manner, or that people who know the truth are just "misremembering".

Nor did he go the Bonds route and laugh while stating he had no idea what substances he was taking.

And last, he didn't go the McGwire route of saying that years of PEDs had no effect on his numbers because he was just so naturally awesome.

A-Roid, I won't even bother mentioning because, to me, he's the biggest megalomaniac to ever put on a uniform.  Like George Lucas, he just belches out words that have no connection to reality - whatever fits the task at hand.  Yeah, that's right, I made a Star Wars reference.  ;-)