New York Yankees

June 3, 2011. That is the last time Ivan Nova lost a game pitching for the New York Yankees. Even on that day, he only gave up two earned runs in six innings pitched.

As long as there is a trade market, the New York Yankees will never be finished trying to perfect their roster as such a feat is nearly impossible in Major League Baseball.

But with an abnormal amount of depth in their starting rotation and a few players on their contract years, New York has plenty of options should they find any player on the trading block attractive.

Say, Matt Cain, Cole Hamels or perhaps a top prospect?

Ralph Terry, relying primarily on a fast ball and slider, had retired the first 17 San Francisco Giants batters.

How many times have we been told that Andy Pettitte used Human Growth Hormone? 

How many times have we been told that when Andy Pettitte used Human Growth Hormone it was not on baseball's list of banned substances?  That's what I thought. The media are famous for telling part of the story.

When Herb Pennock learned that the Boston Red Sox had traded him to the New York Yankees, he and his wife danced a jig.

With the Yankees from 1923-33, Pennock was 162-90 (.643) with a 3.54 ERA, a 114 ERA+ and a 1.335 WHIP.

Pennock was never an ace. He lacked a good fastball which forced him to develop three curve balls and to use "junk" and guile to win.

Andy Pettitte is one of the most popular players of the Joe Torre era that netted the Yankee franchise four World Series rings and six trips to the October classic. 

His return was met with far more excitement than skepticism; after all, Pettitte won't be 40 until June and even though he hasn't pitched since 2010, he managed to amass an 11-3 record and a 3.28 ERA in what was assumed to be his final season as a major league pitcher. 

Yesterday brought on some rather surprising news as the Yankees signed Andy Pettitte to a minor league contract. They already had six starting pitchers for five rotation spots, which had brought on questions as to who was going to be in and who was going to be out. 

The questions just got much more plentiful.

Andy Pettitte is coming back to the Yankees.

One of the members of the "Core Four" announced on Friday that he was coming out of retirement to join the team at its spring training facility in Tampa. Pettitte signed a minor league contract and will make $2.5 million if he makes the team..

Today was a monumental day for the New York Yankees.

Fans all over were in shock, but for good reason, as they found out one of their long-time fan favorites was coming back to the Bronx in 2012.

Jack Curry of the YES Network broke the news first on his Twitter account, announcing that Andy Pettitte had signed a one-year deal worth $2.5 million.

I know this is the New York Yankees, and I know it's their business of giving themselves as many options as possible each season, but bringing back Andy Pettitte for another go in 2012 shows a lack of faith in their current arms.

Let's list all of them, shall we?

1. C.C. Sabathia (guaranteed)

2. Hiroki Kuroda (guaranteed)

3. Phil Hughes

4. Ivan Nova

5. Freddy Garcia