Brian Cashman visits Andy Pettitte

December 12, 8:13 AMNew York Yankees ExaminerPete Sabatini

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Yankees GM Brian Cashman abruptly left the winter meetings in Las Vegas Thursday and it turns it he was on his way to visit Andy Pettitte in Houston. 

The last time Cashman made a house call here he came away with a starting pitcher; let’s see if he can do it again.

This is mostly likely the meeting at which Cashman tells Pettitte that the Yankees will not go any higher than their prior $10M contract offer or else they’ll gladly go after Ben Sheets for two years and $30M as reported here. 

The NY Post quoted one Yankee exec as saying here, “Andy is probably now an $8 million-a-year pitcher at most. We are willing to pay $2 million more because we love him, because he is a Yankee and we want it to stay that way." 

Harsh words, but he’s about right.  Pettitte is more likely a $10M pitcher but the Yankees don’t want to pay him any more than what he’s actually worth just to keep him in New York for sentimental reasons.  They just don’t want him to think that.

For more on Pettitte’s shortcomings read here.

With the Yankees’ starting rotation starting to take shape, Andy Pettitte would slot in nicely at the number four slot and Ben Sheets would become a fallback if AJ Burnett and Derek Lowe sign elsewhere. 

A Pettitte signing would also make it easier to keep Phil Hughes down in the minors to continue working out with less pressure.

1. CC Sabathia
2. AJ Burnett/Derek Lowe/Ben Sheets
3. Chien-Ming Wang
4. Andy Pettitte
5. Joba Chamberlain

The Dodgers and Red Sox have expressed general interest here in Andy Pettitte, but New York remains his first choice. 

After the Yankees made their intentions known and sat around waiting for Andy to make up his mind to return for an inflated $16M or retire after the 2007 season, Andy owes it to the Yankees to take this deal if he really does want to be a Yankee in 2009. 

For more on Sabathia and the acquisition is being felt around the league check out:

My previous story -- Yankees give CC Sabathia opt-out and seventh year
Alex Brown, MLB Examiner -- Sabathia inks richest deal for a pitcher in MLB history and reverses Yankee trend
Ted Fleming, Sports Examiner -- It's cool to hate the Yankees but not in Sabathia case
Mark Fuery, Boston Area Sports Examiner -- Yankees expected to sign Sabathia; How will the Red Sox respond?
Lee Forman, NY Fantasy Sports Examiner -- Yankees land Sabathia, in hot pursuit of Burnett while Mets land Putz in 3 team deal

AP Photo/Kathy Willens