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Andy Pettitte on possible HOF induction: ‘Really, I don’t expect that’

Andy Pettitte had an impressive MLB career for himself. Don’t expect Pettitte to tout his own Hall of Fame candidacy. In fact, he’s doing the opposite.

Speaking on WFAN’s “Joe & Evan” on Tuesday, Pettitte said “I don’t feel like I’m a hall of famer,” a feeling he also had during his playing days.

“I didn’t feel like a hall of famer when I played,” Pettitte said. “I played with hall of famers. The game was such a struggle to me. Really, I don’t expect that. I’m still so honored and so blessed that I was on the ballot and people were voting for me. One day I may have a chance to go in. But it’s not something that I really followed. If that came that would be again for me an unbelievable blessing from God.”

While Pettitte’s numbers don’t make him an obvious choice, a case can be made that he’s worthy.

Pettitte finished his career with a 256-153 record, posting a 3.85 ERA, 1.351 WHIP, 2,448 strikeouts, and a 6.6 K/9 rate. In the postseason, he put up a 19-11 record with a 3.81 ERA, 1.305 WHIP, 183 strikeouts, and a 6.0 K/9.

Pettitte was also a part of five World Series winning teams with the New York Yankees (1996, 1998-2000, 2009), two more AL Pennant winning teams (2001, 2003), and one NL Pennant winner with the Houston Astros (2005).

A potential blemish on Pettitte’s candidacy was his PED use. In 2007, Pettitte admitted to using HGH to try to recover from an injury. Later that year, he was named in the Mitchell Report.

Pettitte also acknowledged this in his interview. He did, however, say, that being more up front than other alleged users helped him in the eyes of the public.

“I think the press conference that I had at spring training, I think that helped. Whatever they wanted to ask me, I didn’t have nothing to hide. It was obviously an uncomfortable situation … the biggest thing for me, like I said before, is the kids. I don’t want any kids thinking that I think that (PED use is okay). I would never want that.”

While stranger things have happened, we’re not expecting to see Pettitte in the Hall of Fame. He may have helped his cause by being forthright about PED use. Still, nobody in the Mitchell Report is in the Hall of Fame. On top of that, even without the PED’s, Pettitte’s numbers make him far from a slam dunk.

Additionally, there are better candidates than him, some of whom don’t even have the PED cloud.

Pettitte enjoyed a very good MLB career. That said, it’s hard to disagree with his assessment. He probably shouldn’t expect the call from Cooperstown, at least not any time soon.

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