Sports Radio Interviews

Andy Pettitte: “I want to do great; I want to be great for the team, I want to be great for the fans”

Andy Pettitte is part of the “Core 4”; this is made up of Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, the last remaining players from the Yankees Dynasty in the last 90’s and early 2000’s.  The “Core 4″ all came up at roughly the same time, getting their first stints with the Yanks in 1995.  The 2009 Yankees are probably the best team the franchise has fielded since the record-shattering 1998 crew that won 125 games and swept the World Series against the San Diego Padres.  Pitching has always been a staple in the Yankees World Series wins and Pettitte has been right there for the last few world championships the Yankees have won. 

Andy was 15-9 with a 4.16 ERA this season and the pressure seemed to be off him a little while big name high priced free agents C.C Sabathia and A.J Burnett came into town as the #1 and #2 guys in the rotation.  When it came down to the closing game on Sunday Night for the Yanks, Pettitte was there to finish the Angels off and for the first time in six years, the Yanks are back in the series against the Phillies. This should be a battle of bats, but it just might come down to Andy again and I am sure those dark glaring eyes will be ready.

Andy Pettitte talks with 1050 ESPN Radio in New Yorkabout pitching in Game 6 against the Angels, what’s its like to get back to the World Series with the Yankees and what they will be facing in the Phillies for the World Series Championship.

Asked whether there was less pressure in Game 6 because he has pitched in games like that before:

“I think it does, I am not worried about it, and I am not scared to fail.  I want to do great; I want to be great for the team.  I want to be great for the fans.  You want to put on a great show.  Everyone’s anticipating a win, so there’s build up for that.  When it comes down to it, I am as prepared as I can be, I am trying as hard as a can and I am at peace with that.  Early in my career it was more of I got to do this and I got to do that, just put a lot more pressure on myself especially when I was pitching at home in front of the home fans and stuff like that in the postseason.”

Asked if this win getting to the World Series is more special for the Core 4 then the other times getting there:

“I think so, I think it is.  The first one was probably the sweetest, just because it’s the first one you get to.  This one I think, you know it’s been a while and I don’t think we could have ever imagined that, with me leaving and coming back and then being able to help us get back to a World Series.  There’s just a lot of things, intangibles built in to it to make this a little sweeter for all of us.  I think also the fans and everybody just realized it’s not easy to get to the World Series no matter how good of a team you build, it just takes a special group of guys and things to go right to have everybody working together as one to be able to pull this thing off.”

Asked about the Lefty laden Philly team they will face in the World Series:

“They are going to be tough; there is no doubt about it.  The big reason is because they are the World Champs and they are playing with a lot of confidence.  We do have home field advantage so we definitely feel real good about that.  They are a good team and there is a reason they are a good team, because of their pitching.  They went out and got Cliff Lee and he is a legitimate ace and he can dominate a game.  They are going to be tough to beat with the other guys that they have.  Hopefully we can continue to make our pitches as a pitching staff, like we have been.  Hopefully we can control their lineup, they got a lot of power, but hopefully we are able to make our quality pitches and good pitches will get guys out.”

Listen to Andy Pettitte with Michael Kay on 1050 ESPN Radio

Tags: Core 4, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, World Series