Andy Pettitte

Courtesy of Yankees 'n More

Back in early December, I went over the 20 best pitchers remaining on the free agent market. A few days before 2011 began, I returned to the topic of Free Agency to take a look at the 12 best bargains left on the free agent market.

It’s hard to believe, with all the snow we’ve gotten here in the Northeast, that spring training is just a few weeks away. As a fan of the New York Yankees, this hasn’t been the best of offseasons, so I would like nothing more than to fast forward to mid-February to see how the team is going to answer all of the questions that haunt them right now.

The Hot Stove is heating up once again, as a flurry of new activity has stoked the dying embers and re-ignited the flame.

We've got major trades to report, some more free agent signing rounding out team rosters, and we'll even throw in a few rumors to marinate on this Friday night.

Bleacher Report sends you into the weekend right, and satisfies your baseball cravings with all the latest news and buzz.  Here are 12 of the biggest recent stories across baseball.  Dig in!

Andy Pettitte will not be ready by Opening Day, but will he be ready by mid-season?

Months of rest, vacation, and time seem to not be enough for Andy Pettitte. He continues to leave fans and the Yankees anticipating his decision to return for the 2011 season.

After Brian Cashman told reporters that Pettitte is “choosing at this stage to not start 2011,” Pettitte’s decision seems to be made up. But why hasn’t he announced his retirement yet?

Or at least stated to his team and fans his decision?

With most of the top free agents now signed and teams starting to take shape as we approach spring training, I thought I would share my pre-pre-season perspective on the relative strengths (and weaknesses) of all 30 major league teams. I have broken the article down into three installments, and will publish one of the segments each day this weekend.

Via Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York:

If you know where to find the panic button, Yankees fans, feel free to press it now.

(Go ahead. Don't be shy. Tilt back the head of that Kevin Maas bust. There it is, in all its resplendent fury. Push it. Good job.)

Your team is officially in serious trouble. I know many believed that was already the case when Cliff Lee chose to sign with the Phillies, but that was premature doom-and-gloom.

According to the Daily News, Brian Cashman has said Andy Pettitte will not be playing at the start of the 2011 season. I've been trying to give Andy the benefit of the doubt, but he's start to remind me of Brett Favre. 

I know how hard it is to walk away from a sport, I had to do it in college, so I can hardly fathom how it is for someone who has played more than 30 years. 

The off-season keeps getting worse for the New York Yankees, as ace Andy Pettitte finally gave word that he was not physically ready for the 2011 season.
 
What does this mean exactly?
 
It construes that Pettitte has not been preparing this off-season for an on-time return to the Bronx, but he is could come back later on.