Andy Pettitte made me pretty happy Friday afternoon. He allowed me to let out a huge sigh of relief, put my feet up and enjoy watching the game during my half day off from work. In 7 innings he managed 6 strikeouts only allowing 4 base runners (1 walk 3 hits) and letting up only a run in the 4-1 victory.

This gives the Yankees their second straight strong performance from the middle of their rotation. Pettitte’s victory helped to pave the way for CC to over come his simply miserable Yankee debut.  CC looked lights out on Saturday (he went 7.2 innings giving up no runs and striking out 6)and is looking as if he is getting ready to open up the new Stadium on Thursday with some fire. CC’s dominance will be an obvious benefit through out the season as it overshadows the value of Pettitte’s veteran Yankee status and talent. Pettitte may not be our big name ace this season but his comfort and experience with the Yankee universe accompanied by his veteran leadership may be just as precious.

Of the five starters, Pettitte is the only one to start and play in more than two full seasons as a Yankee starter (the only one close is Wang who has pitched two full season and appeared in four). To echo my earlier article about Jeter, Pettitte is needed because he is the rock of our pitching staff and a sign of consistent familiarity in the clubhouse. With all the new changes that have been made to the Yanks pitching staff they need some one like Andy to lead as not only a veteran to baseball but as a veteran to the Yankees and their winning tradition.

The Yankees haven’t won a world series with out Pettitte since 1979. And I hate to bring up 2004 but guess who was missing from that playoff roster? Yes that’s right I’m saying that if Andy Pettitte was on the Yankee’s in 2004 the most obnoxious fans in sports may have had nothing to cheer about that year. Instead Andy was in Houston—where he made it to the World Series in ‘05 I might add—and the Yankee’s were…well, embarrassed.

He is 14-9 in post-season play with an ERA under 4 and has pitched an entire modern day season of playoff innings (218.1). He is tied for second all time for World Series games started (Whitey Ford being first) and is exactly what this young, talented and lethal rotation needs in a leader, not to mention being much more than a team could ask for out of a number 4 starter.

There has been some mumbling amongst sports writer’s and baseball fans that perhaps he’s too old (Andy turns 37 in June) to be truly effective and help the Yankees make it back to the playoffs this season. I ask those mumbles to silence as I bring up some interesting names and numbers: Cy Young (Maybe a little unfair to bring up but one should always compare to the best in situations like these especially when being optimistic) won 26 games at the age of 37 to go along with a 1.97 ERA, 200 strikeouts and 380 innings pitched. Walter Johnson went 20-7 with a 3.07 ERA and 229 inning pitched as a 37 year old.

Those numbers are stifling and I do realize that I mentioned maybe the two greatest pitchers of all time who played during a time much different than now. But I also don’t expect ridiculous numbers like that either, although I’d take them. The Yankees don’t need a 20 game winner out of their fourth starter. They don’t need 200 strikeouts from Andy or an ERA bellow 2. They just need consistent solid starts that result in more wins than losses.

Greg Maddux went 16-11 with 3.96 ERA while pitching 218 innings when he was 37 years old. Now those aren’t knock you off your seat numbers and Maddux is a special kind of pitcher but I would be more than happy with that kind of production from Pettitte. And if Friday’s game was evident of what is to come from our Veteran lefty then I think mirroring those Maddux numbers could be a cakewalk.

Although I think CC and Wang’s first starts weren’t a very good representation of what’s to come I do think that Andy’s first start was. With a pitcher in his mid to late thirties and 14 season under his belt it’s easy to worry about how his arm will hold up in the cold weather and early in the season. It takes an older player a little longer to get warm and to work all the kinks out so it wouldn’t have been surprising if Pettitte’s first start was mediocre; but it wasn’t.

I’d love 20 wins form Andy this year, I’d love a 3 ERA and 200 innings out of him, I’d love 180 strike outs and why not throw in a couple pick-offs too. However I’m realistic and don’t like to set myself up for disappointment and also realize that those numbers are a high level of expectation. So I’ll take more wins than losses, a 4ish ERA and a complete season knowing that if our fourth starter has those numbers then the young men around him are playing well. And by well I mean see you in October.

Andy Pettitte’s value is measured beyond the mound so don’t be surprised if the first person on the Yankees that CC thanks when he wins this years AL Cy Young Award is Andy.