Andy Pettitte

The Yankees had a special guest on hand for their ring ceremony Tuesday afternoon.  It wasn't Yogi Berra, it wasn't Whitey Ford, and it wasn't George Steinbrenner—although they were all there. 

Hideki Matsui was the true guest of honor in the house that the Core Four built.

Although Matsui wasn't with the likes of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, or Andy Pettitte back when the group won their first four rings in the 90s, he still feels like a true Yankee who has been there forever.

The Yankees and Red Sox took the field for the rubber match of a three game series in Fenway Park. For the third game in a row, there was a good pitching matchup. This time it was Andy Pettitte for the Yankees going against Red Sox newcomer John Lackey.

The Good

- Curtis Granderson. The Grandy Man Can! Granderson hit his second home run of the season, this time a 10th inning solo shot off Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon that gave the Yankees the lead and eventual win.

Over the last 15 years, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte have made up the "Yankees Core" of the roster, mostly because they are popular players who were home-grown products out of the Yankees system.

In 2010, one of the core players may be playing in his final season.

In an interview with YES Network's Jack Curry, Pettitte dropped hints that this upcoming season may in fact be the final one for the left-hander.

By Patrick Read

Washington, DC

In the wee hours of Monday morning, 36-year-old former Philadelphia Phillies starter Chan Ho Park agreed to terms with the New York Yankees.

The deal is for one year and $1.2 million guaranteed, plus another $300K in incentives for a possible total of $1.5 million.

Washington DC

By Patrick Read

This decade was great for the Yankees—winning two World Series—but not great for the Mets, only making the playoffs a couple of times.

In fact, in the first World Series of the decade, the two New York teams faced each other in the Subway Series.

The Yankees are showing why they are an elite team once again. Say what you want, like “They buy all their championships.” Maybe, maybe not. I say, “If you don’t reinvest in your product, it becomes stationary. It becomes average.” Merely weeks after celebrating another championship, they are still at work making some major moves this current off season.

This week, Andy Pettitte announced that he wanted to return to pitch in 2010 for the Yankees.

On Wednesday, the Yankees and Pettitte agreed on a one-year deal worth $11.75 million to bring the 37-year-old left hander back for at least one more season.

This is the third time Pettitte has put off retirement to pitch again for the Yankees. It's hard to blame him after a terrific 2009 season.

He went 14-8 in the regular season with a 4.16 ERA in 194.2 innings. He had 148 strikeouts in 32 start.

According to sources of ESPN's Buster Olney, Andy Pettitte will pitch in 2010, and his return is just a matter of working out a deal with the Yankees .

To report that Andy Pettitte will be back on the mound for the New York Yankees in 2010 is no more surprising than saying they will play their home games in the beautiful, new mini-park known as Yankee Stadium. Yet, ESPN reported it today.