For those with short memories--NY Times, Aug. 2, 1999

• A homegrown lifelong Yankee publicly hung out to dry, told has to "prove himself." 8/2/99:

(NY Times): "George Steinbrenner was in a good mood tonight, which was notable in itself because the day after the July 31 trade deadline there is reason to reconsider what your team and your rivals did or did not do. The Yankees did not do a lot.

• They did not trade the left-hander Andy Pettitte, who was given at least a two-month respite to prove himself again to the organization.

They did not trade for a relief pitcher; rather, the organization figures it has as much or more pitching depth to plug holes and figures that Jeff Nelson and Mike Stanton will pitch better in the post-season, as they have always done....

• It will be difficult for the Yankees to augment their roster with players from outside the organization in the final two months of the season. Before any team can trade a player, it must first pass that player through waivers.

For example: if the Yankees decided to deal Pettitte, they would first have to expose him to all teams through waivers. If any team claimed him, the Yankees then could only deal Pettitte to that team or withdraw him, and then they would not be able to trade him until after the season.

• But the Yankees do have some options developing within their organization. Nelson, recovering from elbow surgery, is scheduled to begin a rehabilitation assignment in Tampa, Fla., on Monday."...

...................(If you still harbor any doubts, the article concludes with this):

(NY Times): "Steinbrenner acknowledged that in keeping Pettitte, the Yankees now have all but assured themselves

• of a difficult off season of tough financial dealings. But they'll think about that later.

With their roster mostly intact, the Yankees have two months to prepare for the championship chase."

• From NY Times article by Buster Olney, "No Second Thoughts for Steinbrenner," 8/2/99

P.S. The guys who got in barfights, cheated on their wives, made trouble in the clubhouse, and stuck the team with onerous salaries were joyously welcomed by Steinbrenner. Throughout this article, Andy is portrayed as an albatross and put on a short leash for no apparent reason. The only speculation at the time was he wasn't Steinbrenner's kind of guy, ie was open about his religious faith, a quiet family man. Not nearly as open or crassly commercial about it as Paul Byrd has been, however.

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