Having won all of 12 games during his tenure in Pinstripes, who better to consult about the Yankees’ surprise signing of not-so-retired lefty Andy Pettitte than Freddy Garcia? “Garcia didn’t give off the feeling he would be rolling out the red carpet,” writes the New York Post’s master of understatement, Dan Martin :
“You play with the Yankees, nothing surprises you,” said Freddy Garcia, still nursing a bruised right hand — and ego. “I don’t really care. That’s their decision. I have to pitch and that’s what I’m going to do.”
“I haven’t seen a change in Freddy’s personality,” said manager Joe Girardi, before adding to the staff in general: “My message would be, ‘If you don’t want someone to take your job, go out and pitch well.’ It’s not like Andy will break camp with us April 6.”
Garcia, who unlike most of those around him in the clubhouse doesn’t have a history with Pettitte, was asked if he thought the signing was good for the team.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Ask the people. I guess.”