Now that Andy Pettitte has decided to call it a career, the 2011 season just got a whole lot more — let’s say interesting — for the Yankees.

With Pettitte gone, the Yanks’ will likely open with a rotation of some combination of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes, Sergio Mitre and Ivan Nova.

That quintet doesn’t exactly scream postseason-bound, does it?

There are others in the mix for those back two spots, including former Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon, the once-promising Mark Prior and journeyman Freddy Garcia.

Still, even with those three in tow, the absence of solid arms in two fifths of the rotation could make for a very intriguing spring training for a few Yankees farmhands.

With a good showing at camp, kids like Andrew Brackman, David Phelps, Adam Warren, D.J. Mitchell, Hector Noesi, Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos could position themselves for a midseason call-up.

A scout I spoke with yesterday said that he doesn’t believe any of those farmhands is ready now, however, so the veterans, retreads and Nova will have to hold the fort for the time being.

One idea the scout suggested was a sort of tag-team fifth spot throughout the course of the season.

The idea would work something like this:

From Opening Day through the end of May, Mitre, Colon, Garcia or Prior would take the ball every fifth day.

Then, from June until the start of August, a prospect would get his feet wet in the big leagues.

After his two months were up, that youngster would relinquish the ball to another farmhand for the duration of the season.

To me, that sounds like a pretty viable solution on a couple of fronts.

First, it helps avoid a Joba-like shuffle to and from the bullpen for someone the Yankees have spent years developing as a starter, something fans certainly don’t want to see happen again.

Additionally, it doesn’t overexpose either prospect long enough for the league to get a good book on him.

The glaring weakness in the plan, however, is that it pins a rookie with 20 percent of the team’s starts down the stretch, which would be especially troubling if the team were to find itself in playoff contention.

If that’s the case, though, you can the Yankees will swing a deal to avoid that kind of scenario.

The bottom line is: Because of Pettitte’s retirement, this season represents the first time in a very long while that an untested prospect has a chance to win a spot in the rotation out of camp.

If that happens, this summer will be remembered more as a fond beginning than a bittersweet ending.

(TRENTON, NJ) -The Trenton Thunder, Double A Affiliate of the New York Yankees, released the bulk of its 2011 Promotional Schedule on Thursday afternoon with a pair of FREE All-You-Can-Eat Nights and giveaways commemorating the rehab appearances of NY Yankees stars Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter leading the way. Additional promotions will be announced at a later date.

Single game tickets for the 2011 Trenton Thunder season will go on sale on Tuesday, February 1 at 9:30 am online at trentonthunder.com, by phone at 609-394-3300 or in person at Waterfront Park.

The Thunder will begin their home schedule on Thursday, April 14 with an Opening Night celebration and magnetic schedule giveaway (1st 2,000 fans). The following night will feature another magnetic schedule giveaway (1st 2,000 fans) and all fans in attendance will receive free hot dogs, hamburgers and cheeseburgers as the popular FREE All-You-Can-Eat Night returns for a second season. A second FREE All-You-Can-Eat Night will be held on Thursday, August 25.

The Thunder will host six Bobblehead Doll giveaways with each one featuring players who have worn the Thunder uniform in their careers. Robinson Cano Bobblehead Night (1st 1,500, 6+) will be held Friday, April 29 thanks to Synder's of Hanover. Phil Hughes Bobbleheads (1st 2,000 fans ages 6+) will be given out on Friday, May 13 thanks to the Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Trenton. Andy Pettitte's 2010 Rehabiliation Appearances with the Thunder will be featured on two bobbleheads - on Friday, July 15 in his Thunder home jersey (1st 2,000 fans ages 6+) thanks to TD Bank and Friday, July 29 in his Thunder road jersey (1st 2,000 fans ages 6+) courtesy of Hyundai . NY Yankee captain Derek Jeter, who rehabbed with the Thunder in 2003, will be featured on a bobblehead doll in his Thunder uniform on Friday, August 19 (1st 2,000 fans ages 6+) thanks to Arm & Hammer. The sixth bobblehead giveaway is to be determined but will be held on Latin Heritage Night, Friday, August 26.

Some new items on the Trenton promotional slate include a Trenton Thunder & Reading Phillies reversible Bucket Hats (1st 1,000, 18+) on Tuesday, May 10 thanks to Deborah Heart & Lung Center. On Wednesday, May 11, Arm & Hammer will provide Thunder folding hampers to the first 1,000 fans ages five to 18. Thunder growth charts will be the giveaway on Sunday, July 31 (1st 1,000 5-15).

Dog-friendly promotions will return to Waterfront Park on Sunday, May 1 with Bark at the Park presented by Dogs and Cats Rule. This event allows fans to bring their canines with them to the stadium. On Friday, July 1, the Thunder will celebrate the birthday of its Golden Retriever, Chase, with a dog bowl giveaway (1st 1,000) thanks to Arm & Hammer, Frontline and Heartguard.

Thunder fans at each Monday game all season will receive a collectible souvenir travel cup (1st 1,000).

As previously announced, the Thunder will host 21 fireworks shows after games in 2011.

Also added to the schedule are a slew of theme nights including Irish Heritage Night (August 11), Polish Heritage Night (June 28), Women in Sports Night (April 19) and more. Many community events will also be returning to the ballpark including the Sixth Annual EarthShare New Jersey Environmental Awareness Fair (July 16), the 2nd Annual Good Deed Game (August 27) and Community Blood Council of NJ Blood Drives on June 4, July 30 and August 27.

COMPLETE PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE

The 2011 Trenton Thunder season will begin on Thursday, April 7 at New Hampshire with the home opener set for Thursday, April 14 versus Harrisburg. Group tickets, season tickets and Ticket Packages are all on sale now.

Every Monday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 games of the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there are plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 4 - Andy Pettitte takes the ball in the ELDS




















RECAP: Entering the Eastern League Division Series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, against whom they were 6-17 during the year, the Thunder needed a big boost. In Andy Pettitte, the 15-year major league veteran and Yankees legend, that's exactly what they got.

The lefty was assigned to Trenton for the first of what would become two starts to rehab a strained left groin (the second start was also with the Thunder), creating much fanfare and controversy in the Central Jersey area.

More than anything, however, it brought the fans to the yard. Eight thousand and seventy-two people came through the turnstiles, one of the largest crowds in the team's history.

Pettitte went four shutout innings with two hits and four punchouts before handing the ball to Adam Warren for the next six frames.

Scoreless through 11 tense innings, the Thunder got a walk-off bomb from designated hitter Rene Rivera to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series.

Link to Original Story

REACTION: “I wanted to try to try to come here and I didn’t want to lose this game for the guys. I wanted to do exactly what I did and give them a chance to win because it starts down here.” -- Andy Pettitte

“I talked to Austin (Romine) before the game and he said they played these guys a ton. So he had a great idea of what these guys like and what they don’t like and what balls they can handle and what balls they can’t handle.” -- Andy Pettitte

AFTERWARD: After Pettitte helped give them a 2-0 lead, the Thunder finished off the Fisher Cats at Merchantsauto.com Stadium. They allowed one run all series to New Hampshire's vaunted lineup, which was quite the feat. Pettitte pitched one more time for the Thunder, against the Altoona Curve in the opening game of the Eastern League Championship Series.

Every Monday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 games of the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there are plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 6 - After Pettitte exits, Brackman mows down Curve




















RECAP: The opening game of the Eastern League Championship Series was supposed to be about Andy Pettitte making his second rehab tune-up. And while the left-hander did his job over five innings of two-run ball, the 6-foot-10 Brackman, in his first appearance of the postseason, quickly showed everyone why the Yankees spent a first-round pick on him three years ago.

Showcasing a moving fastball that topped out at 98 miles per hour and a hard-biting curveball, Brackman held the Curve to just a hit and a walk over five shutout innings. The Thunder won it in the tenth, thanks in large part to Brackman's yeoman effort.

More impressive than just the numbers, however, was the poise he showed while accomplishing them.

The key moment for Brackman was the eighth inning, when an error and hit batsman put runners at first and second with nobody down. One out later, the bases were jacked, spelling what seemed like certain doom.

But Brackman got Miles Durham to bounce the first pitch, a moving heater, to shortstop Luis Nunez, who started an inning-ending twin-killing that sent Trenton to its only victory of the ELCS.

Link to Original Story

REACTION: “I still don’t feel like I was in college, but I’ve got to deal with that and just go out and try to compete with what I have that day. … I definitely think there’s more in the tank.” -- Andrew Brackman

“They did it again in this series. They pitched out of key situations. I expect Pettitte to do that, but for these young guys — our entire pitching staff is bearing down, and I’m loving it back there catching. I’m seeing these guys evolving into guys that can bear down and make the pitches they need to make.” -- Austin Romine

AFTERWARD: That was the last bright spot for the Thunder in 2010. Dellin Betances, Adam Warren and Manny Banuelos couldn't outduel the Curve's trio of Jeff Locke, Justin Wilson and Tony Watson -- all left-handers -- and Altoona brought the city its first championship.

I could describe the Thunder starter's dominance in their four postseason games, but I'd rather show it to you. I'm not going to count Andy Pettitte as a starter, because he's really not a Thunder player, per se.
IP H R BB SO
Game 1, Dellin Betances: 5.1 2 0 1 8
Game 2, Adam Warren: 6 3 0 2 10
Game 3, Manny Banuelos: 7 5 0 3 5
Game 4, Andrew Brackman: 5 1 0 1 4
Totals: 23.1 11 0 7 27

Here is some postgame audio from (top down) Brackman, manager Tony Franklin and Austin Romine.







Additionally, here's Andy Pettitte's first inning and part of his press conference. My recorder shut off during the conference for some reason, but all of the good stuff is there.

From Tony Franklin's mouth, here's how the pitchers will shake down for what I will dub the Beginning of Fall Classic:

SCENARIO 1

Game 1: Andy Pettitte - If Pettitte exits before the prescribed five innnings, Andrew Brackman will back him up.

Game 2: Dellin Betances

Game 3: Adam Warren

Game 4: Manny Banuelos

Game 5: Cory Arbiso

SCENARIO 2

Game 1: Andy Pettitte - If Pettitte goes the full five innings, the bullpen will pitch as normal

Game 2: Andrew Brackman

Game 3: Dellin Betances

Game 4: Adam Warren

Game 5: Manny Banuelos

Pete Caldera, Sweeny Murti and Marc Carig have each reported that Andy Pettitte will make a second rehab start for the Thunder, this time on the road in either Altoona or Harrisburg. Considering the Curve are up 10-5 in the ninth inning on the Senators, it will likely be in Altoona.

Pettitte will go five innings or 80 pitches this time around (whichever comes first). It is not known who will back him up.

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Are you ready for an encore?

Reports yesterday indicated that Andy Pettitte, who blew through the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Thursday night in Game 2 of the Eastern League Division Series, would make a second rehab start on Tuesday night.

After closing out New Hampshire last night, the Thunder open the Eastern League Championship Series Tuesday.

Triple-A Scranton would make sense, too. If they beat the Columbus Clippers, the Yankees would host Game 1 of the Governor’s Cup at PNC Field on Tuesday, making them a likely choice.

Another option for Pettitte that day would be in Tampa, where the T-Yanks would be in a decisive Game 5 against the Charlotte Stone Crabs (Tampa Bay) in the final round of the Florida State League playoffs.

No matter where he winds up, Pettitte will go five innings or 80 pitches, whichever comes first.

- - -

Two of the Thunder’s best hitters down the stretch, including the first two games of the division series, were a pair of players who started the season in the Atlantic League — outfielder Justin Christian and catcher Rene Rivera.

Rivera’s recent impact has been obvious: His two longballs have accounted for two of the team’s three RBIs over the first 21 innings. The second shot, hit in the 12th inning on Thursday, gave the Thunder a walk-off win and a two-game lead heading on the road.

Even though Christian was promoted right before the playoffs, his white-hot bat played a big part in Trenton taking the division from New Hampshire.

From the start of August until he left for Scranton, Christian hit .352 with 11 doubles, two triples and 15 RBIs. He also hit six home runs, representing two thirds of his total during his 87 games with Trenton.

Both Christian and Rivera have major league experience, proving that, if it looks hard enough, an organization can still find serviceable, experienced talent outside of affiliated baseball.

The Thunder also plucked pitcher Paul Bush from the Atlantic League, but the Yankees released him shortly thereafter.

- - -

Say what you want about the blown call at first last night costing the Fisher Cats a chance at a split heading home, but without a spectacular play from Luis Nunez at short in the third inning, New Hampshire would have taken the game in regulation.

With a runner on third, one out and the infield drawn in, Callix Crabbe slapped a ball hard up the middle. Nunez dove to his left, speared the ball, held the runner and retired Crabbe.

Pettitte recovered to get the next man, Darin Mastroianni, on a grounder to first, snuffing New Hampshire’s only real scoring threat.

- - -

Left-hander Steve Garrison, who was signed by the Yankees yesterday to replace Wilkin De La Rosa on the 40-man roster, should be with the Thunder by Saturday.

TRENTON – In the 12th inning last night, New Hampshire reliever Trystan Magnuson was re-taught the hard lesson he should have learned on Wednesday: No matter the circumstance, do not throw a fastball to Rene Rivera.

With one out, that’s exactly what the Thunder’s designated hitter got from Magnuson and – just like Wednesday – he turned it into a no-doubt home run. The shot turned Trenton into 1-0 winners and gave them a powerful two-game edge to take with them on the road in the Eastern League Division Series.

“I’m looking for a pitch out over the plate that I can drive,” Rivera said. “I got lucky both times – yesterday and today – that I saw a pitch that I can handle.”

Before Rivera’s heroics, however, the Thunder were beneficiaries of a blown call from first-base umpire Chris Hamner.

With Adam Calderone on third and two out, Fisher Cats leadoff man Darin Mastroianni squibbed one toward second that Matt Cusick fielded and fired to first. Photos showed that Cusick’s throw was about 6 feet from when Mastroianni hit the bag, but Hamner still wound up and banged him out.

Mastroianni and manager Luis Rivera protested to no avail, and Rivera got tossed in the process. Still, to the team’s credit, the Fisher Cats did not solely blame Hamner for their loss.

“We’ll come out tomorrow and play our game,” third baseman Shawn Bowman said. “I know the umpire blew a call tonight, but we also didn’t score any runs.” “We’re not out of it. It could be one big hit from anyone in the order that will change things around.”

Before the fireworks in the final inning, both teams engaged in the most epic pitchers’ duel at Waterfront Park this season.

On the Thunder’s side, there was Andy Pettitte – their ace-in-the-hole for four innings – and Adam Warren, their ace for the last two months.

In his four innings, Pettitte faced one more than the minimum and struck out four before giving way to Warren, who made the five-time World Series champion look like a side dish, rather than the main course.

Warren fanned 10 in his six innings, including the first extra frame, and looked icy cool even in relief.

“I had to lock in mentally and try to keep everything the same,” Warren said. “My body was kind of funny in the bullpen, and I didn’t throw as loose as usual because I didn’t have a chance to run around as much. Once I got into the game and got a little adrenaline going, it was all the same.”

Austin Romine, who had the pleasure of catching both men, wanted to no credit afterward for his game-calling skills. He instead deferred to Pettitte and Warren for blanking the Fisher Cats’ powerful offense.

“I don’t want any of (the credit),” he said. “I didn’t do anything. I suggest pitches and they throw it. They did their job.”

NOTES: Two of Warren’s strikeouts came on foul bunts. … The 8,072 fans in attendance represented a season high for the Thunder, a night after they registered their season low. … Josh Schmidt once again drew a Hall of Fame closer’s entrance music. He got Mariano Rivera’s “Enter Sandman” on Wednesday, and last night was treated to AC DC’s “Hells Bells,” the song that plays when Brewers closer Trevor Hoffman enters.

Props to Trentonian intern Ryan Howard for taking all of these videos. Great job by him.

TRENTON — Adam Warren, arguably the team’s most reliable starter since the day he showed up, will not start in the Eastern League Division Series. There’s a good reason for that, though, one that has 240 major league wins to his credit.

Warren will relieve Andy Pettitte in today’s Game 2, and for the Thunder hurler, that’s no skin off his back. In fact, the –year-old right-hander considers it a bit of an honor to play caddy for a day for someone with Pettitte’s credentials.

“Obviously, I’d like to start,” Warren admitted,” but when a guy like Andy Pettitte comes, you can’t really be mad, because of the pitcher he is.”

The plan is for Pettitte to go four innings or 65 pitches, whichever comes first. After that, Warren will come in and, barring ineffectiveness, more than likely go the rest of the game, with the exception of maybe a reliever for a few outs if Pettitte leaves in the middle of an inning.

One of the big concerns for Warren today is how he will keep his pre-start routine intact, given that he won’t get into the game until probably the fifth inning. That means pushing back the normal stretching, throwing and all of the other calisthenics that come before a normal start.

“It’s going to be a new process for me, but I’m going to try to keep everything the same, though,” Warren said. “Maybe in the first inning I’ll go ahead and start stretching, that sort of thing, try to work in some sort of long toss before the game, or with the outfielders, something like that. I’ll make a few adjustments, but I don’t think it’s going to affect me negatively.”

The choice for Warren to be the one pushed back really didn’t entail much of a choice at all. Both pitchers were scheduled to go today, so the minor leaguer was forced to play second fiddle.

“I think the priority is to get the major league pitchers back to pitching,” manager Tony Franklin said. “We happen to be home, and he’s got a place to pitch, so that’s the way it is. And I think it’s a good thing. Adam’s going to be in there right after him, so I think Adam’s going to prepare to pitch the way he normally does.”

If there were any fears that Pettitte would come down, throw a few pitches and just work on getting his feel back without any regard to the situation his new teammates have fought so hard to achieve, those feelings were quickly allayed during today’s Yankees game.

The broadcasters mentioned that Pettitte not only knew the magnitude of the situation he was thrust into, but he had gone so far as to request scouting reports on the Fisher Cats to ensure that he did the best job possible once his time came.

“I heard the announcers talking about Andy coming down, and what he said,” Franklin explained. “Andy’s coming down with every intention of helping us win a baseball game, and that’s the way it should be.”

New York Yankees starting pitcher Andy Pettitte talks with Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Scott Linebrink after Pettitte's bull pen session before a baseball game between the two clubs Friday, Aug. 27, 2010 in Chicago. Pettitte described the session as very well. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

When news of Andy Pettitte’s playoff start with the Thunder broke, there were a wide array of reactions.

Some fans were elated that the left-hander was on his way, ready to give their team a major boost toward a third championship.

Others were excited, not for the team, necessarily, but to see a potential Hall of Famer take the hill in their backyard.

There’s was one reaction, though, that confused the hell out of me: outrage. Some fans, on Facebook and Twitter, said that it simply wasn’t fair that Pettitte was able to come down from New York, pitch a few innings and potentially swing a series that players on both sides had worked so hard all year to reach.

I couldn’t agree less.

When you get right down to the nitty gritty of the minor leagues, it’s not about wins and losses. It’s about development and making the big club better, pure and simple.

Would the Yankees like all of their minor league clubs to win championships every year? Absolutely, because it usually means that their players are developing well, not because it adds any additional cachet to the organization as a whole.

So, if someone like Pettitte needs to get in a few game-situation innings to make himself ready for an October run in New York, then so be it.

Let’s also not make the mistake of assuming that Pettitte’s mere presence guarantees they’ll move on to the second round.

Far from it in fact.

The Thunder have twice had a big leaguer in their midst for September baseball — Hideki Matsui joined the team in 2006, and Tom Gordon was part of the 1999 squad’s bullpen.

Know Trenton’s record for those two series? Zero wins, two losses.

Of course, there is the other side of the coin.

Travis Hafner’s name is verboten in Bowie after he ran roughshod over the Baysox in 2008, including two home runs and a line drive that hit ace Chris Tillman and knocked him out of the game.

Double-A was the highest level of the minor leagues still active at the time, however, so that’s where the Indians sent him, Bowie’s feelings be damned.

Also, if you can’t wrap your head around that train of thought, here’s another idea.

Some of the players on both rosters will never make the major leagues. Some won’t even see major league camp at spring training. Others still won’t be baseball players next year.

You think they might get a bit of thrill from suiting up behind a guy who could be a Hall of Famer in a few years?

Then there’s the monetary argument.

Waterfront Park will be rocking on Thursday, and it won’t have a thing to do with the playoffs. Some people who buy a ticket will do so solely to see a pinstriped legend.

That’s going to make the Thunder front office very, very happy.

So, when Pettitte finishes his warm-up tosses tomorrow, throw aside your concerns and enjoy just another four innings in what’s been a great season.

It's official, Andy Pettitte, he of the 18 career playoff victories, will make the Game 2 start against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Thursday night at Waterfront Park.

The left-hander was originally scheduled to pitch in tomorrow’s Game 1, but was moved up a night to keep him on normal rest.

He’ll throw four innings or 65 pitches, according to Yankees manager Joe Girardi. The last hurdle for Pettitte to clear was an early bullpen session yesterday morning, which he passed with flying colors. He threw 20 pitches and reported no pain.

For Thunder fans, seeing Pettitte on the hill will be the thrill of a lifetime. For the players, however, it could mean the difference between a series win or an early exit.

Pettitte will likely oppose right-hander Zach Stewart, one of New Hampshire’s two aces who have befuddled the Thunder offense all season long.

Although he’s only come away with one win, Stewart has worked to a 3.29 ERA against Trenton in five games, and has held the team to just one longball, which came off the bat of the since-promoted Brandon Laird.

Adam Warren, the tentatively scheduled starter for Thursday night, will more than likely be pushed to Friday’s Game 3, which will be played at New Hampshire’s Merchantsauto.com Stadium.

Pettitte’s appearance marks the third player to rehab with the Thunder during the playoffs. Former Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui showed up in 2006, and reliever Tom Gordon did the same in 1999.

The Thunder lost both of those sets.

Neither of those players, however, had a postseason resume of anything close to Pettitte’s caliber.

In his career, the “Core Four” member has dominated in the playoffs. He’s gone 18-9 overall, including clinching victories in the ALDS, the ALCS and the World Series last season.

As for the opposition, it doesn’t sound as if the Fisher Cats are exactly shaking in their boots about stepping into the box against him.

“He’s a Hall of Famer in my book. If we get to face him in the playoffs, it would be fun,” All-Star center fielder Darin Mastroianni told the Manchester Union-Leader, “but we’re going to play to win. He’s not going to be the deciding factor.”

TRENTON — When the Mitchell Report came out in 2007, it contained the names of 89 documented abusers of performance-enhancing drugs. The names ranged from superstars like Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, to also-rans like F.P. Santangelo and Randy Velarde.

Fans’ reactions ranged from sadness to shock to anger. So many of their favorite players, whom they’d shelled out wallet-loads of money in a collapsing economy to see play, were cheating.

When Lance Berkman, who yesterday began a two-day rehab stint with the Thunder, saw the list, however, there weren’t many surprises.

“Let me say this, I don’t know anybody’s name that I heard (in the Mitchell Report) that I didn’t think so … in other words, I didn’t think anybody wasn’t using that came out,” Berkman said. “If your name was on that list, those were a lot of the guys I suspected myself when it started to all come out. There wasn’t anybody where I was like, ‘Oh man, I know he didn’t do it, so why is he on that list?’”

These comments come on the heels of the arraignment of Roger Clemens, a teammate of Berkman’s from 2004 until 2006, who is facing charges of lying to Congress while denying that he ever used steroids.

Because Clemens’ denials have been so prolific and impassioned, Berkman says, he is willing to extend the pitcher a certain amount of goodwill when it comes to passing judgment on his guilt or innocence. Even so, he says, that goodwill is by no means absolute.

“Roger’s a guy that has been vehement in his denial, and he’s a friend of mine, so I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until this thing kind of resolves itself,” he explained. “Because of that, if he was found guilty of doing whatever it is, it’s not like I’d be so surprised that I’d fall over and faint or something. But, by the same token, I’m willing to give him every benefit of the doubt.”

For current Yankees pitcher and borderline Hall of Famer Andy Pettitte, who also shared a clubhouse with Clemens, the courtesy extends a little further. He doesn’t agree with Pettitte’s action, but because it wasn’t prolonged and was allegedly done with the sole intent of speeding his recovery time, he understands.

“Andy (Pettitte) and I are as good as friends as you can possibly be. He’s probably my best friend,” Berkman said. “I was surprised, but once I found out more about the reasoning behind it … obviously, I can say this, but nobody will buy into it: There’s a difference between taking steroids for the purpose of enhancing your performance; taking a cycle — and what Andy did, which was take HGH, that’s a different deal for the purpose of trying to come back from an injury.”

The major difference between Clemens and Pettitte, of course, is that Pettitte was willing to fess up to his wrongdoing while Clemens has maintained his innocence for the last three years and is willing to risk time in a federal prison to keep his name in the clear.

It’s that unflagging honesty on the part of the left-hander that has earned him Berkman’s trust and respect and in his eyes, it’s what sets him apart from guys like Barry Bonds and others who have gone out of their way to be deceptive in the face of controversy.

“I think a lot of it has to do with the way the situation is handled. It speaks to Andy’s character that he was willing to say he made a mistake. Here’s what I did, let me completely honest about this to the detriment of me and my friends and family and let me be honest and above board about this.

“Most people feel like Barry and some of the other guys are hiding something and they’re unwilling to admit to any wrongdoing at all and they’re hiding behind lawyers and it’s just shenanigans. People can see through that, and I think they don’t appreciate it. That’s why they may give a different reaction for Andy than you would for other guys.”

According to George King of the New York Post, Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte will make a rehab start in Trenton on Tuesday, if everything goes well in today's throwing session in Tampa.

That would make two rehab appearances in a four-day span for the Thunder. Alfredo Aceves, who pitched for the Thunder in 2008, is slated to start against the Senators on Friday. Pettitte has been on the disabled list since July 20 with a left groin strain.

Pettitte was 11-2 with a 2.88 ERA before the injury.