Andy Pettitte: Analyzing The Yankees’ ALCS Game 3 Starting Pitcher

Vitals

6’5, 225
Left-handed
129 innings
3.28 ERA
7.0 K/9
2.9 BB/9

2010 Playoffs

7 innings, 2 runs, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts

Repertoire

Andy Pettitte is an accomplished, four-pitch pitcher. He works primarily off of a fastball in the 88-90mph range that he’s able to move in and out. His preferred secondary pitch isn’t a breaking ball or change, but rather a cut fastball that he throws closer to 84mph. The cutter has a ton of tail and sink, and acts very similar to a slider. After the cutter, Pettitte does have both a curveball and a changeup. His curve hangs in the mid-70s, and has more lateral break and less vertical break than the conventional curve. Finally, there’s the changeup, which Pettitte throws the least. It sits around 79-81mph, and acts like a slow two-seam fastball.

Facing Righties

Like any lefty starter, Pettitte faces a ton of right-handed hitters. Righties see all four of his pitches in a pretty complete mix. To start righties off, Pettitte prefers to throw an outside fastball, although he’ll throw enough outside curves as well to keep the hitter honest. In the event that he misses and falls behind, he’ll stay with the same tandem, trying an outside fastball or a curve more towards the middle. Should he get ahead, though, then everything changes. He’ll try to pound hitters inside with his heat, or he’ll try to drop a curve or a change on the outside corner. The cutter becomes his primary weapon in a strikeout count. He uses it a lot like a slider, trying to bury it down and in for a swing and miss.

Facing Lefties

Pettitte doesn’t face many lefties, and that’s because he’s so good at attacking them. Lefties won’t see his change, and they’ll only seldom see his curve, as he works mostly off of his fastball and cutter. He likes to start off with one of those two pitches down and away. Behind, he’ll come more towards the center of the plate and mix things up with his curve. Ahead, he’ll stay down in the zone. He’ll either place a cutter in the low-away corner, or try to pound the hitter inside with his fastball. The cutter is, by far, his best swing-and-miss weapon against lefties, and he knows it.