Andy Pettitte has given in to the realities of age and injuries, and he cut back his throwing program in advance of his return from the disabled list against the Indians tonight — at least for now.
He didn’t sound thrilled about it.
“I haven’t got any work, really,” Pettitte said yesterday after being limited to just one bullpen session in preparation for tonight’s start. “I’m not a power guy. I’m kind of touch and feel, and I just feel like that [extra work] really helps me. But we’ll see. I’m not real sure.”
And he’s not convinced he’s going to be able to stick to the reduced workload.
“Truthfully, I don’t know,” Pettitte said before the Yankees’ 3-0 rain-shortened loss to the Red Sox. “I’m used to doing two bullpens. We’ll just how it goes, but right now, I’ll just say probably not.”
While he didn’t try to disguise the fact he’d like to throw as much as he’s accustomed to between outings, he has dealt with changes to his routine before.
“Obviously, I’ve pitched long enough and I’ve pitched not throwing any bullpens at all,” Pettitte said of previous arm trouble that forced him to alter his preparation in the past. “My elbow’s hurt so bad I didn’t want to throw a bullpen and was successful doing that.”
This is different, though, since Pettitte said the strained left trapezius muscle spasm that forced him from his last start on May 16 against the Mariners after just 79 pitches, has cleared up.
“It wasn’t locking up on me two days after I was pitching,” Pettitte said. “I feel like there’s a lot of stuff where I’m always knotted up and you just go out and throw and usually everything loosens up, but this is just one where it didn’t loosen up. It got worse.”
Which is why Pettitte, famously resistant to doing anything differently, is now more willing to cut back.
“I know what I’ve got to do mentally to prepare for this game and I understand where they’re coming from, of course, because of my age and how much time it takes and the adjustments you have to make as you get older,” he said.
That can be easier said than done.
“He’s talked about backing off a little bit,” Joe Girardi said. “But it’s hard when you’re a creature of habit. When you’ve had as much success as he’s had, it’s hard to change what you do, but I think it’s important that he does it.”
Pettitte reluctantly seemed to realize the same thing.