Last week, I turned on my office television and saw that a press conference was being held in Houston. Not knowing what the press conference was about, I decided to watch it - and was totally shocked when I saw New York Yankee Pitcher Andy Pettitte come to the podium and put on a Houston Astros jersey - letting the world know that he has left the Yankees for the Astros.

Besides the fact that I, along with all New York baseball fans and the Yankees themselves were caught completely off guard by Pettitte's move from New York to Houston - I think Pettitte handled this very badly. The only inkling people had of this possible coup by the Astros was a faint rumor that Pettitte wanted to play for the team in his hometown. The Yankees also had some idea of Pettitte's plans, because they were planning on making him a very generous counter offer. But instead of telling the Yankees that he did not want to take their offer, and instead of letting his die-hard New York fans that have stood by him through thick and thin know that he wanted to play for the Astros - he pulled one of the sneakiest moves in baseball history - and signed with the Astros.

At the press conference, Pettitte said that his move to the Astros was not about money - but about being closer to his family. While I can understand and appreciate that, what about his New York family? Pettitte has been on the Yankees since 1995, and has helped take the team to four World Series championships in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000. He has become one of the team's most popular and recognizable figures and has done quite well in his nine years on the Bronx Bombers. With a career win-loss record of 149-78 and a 3.94 Earned Run Average (ERA), he is the only pitcher since 1930 to win at least 12 games in each of his first nine seasons.

And now he is a Houston Astro.

While I think that he handled his career move in a very sneaky and extremely unprofessional manner, I do admire him for being able to walk away from a multi-million dollar deal and put his family first. I also thank him for the years of great baseball he gave to the New York Yankees and their fans. And I will even go so far as to wish him good luck in Houston and hope that he has what it takes to take the team to the World Series in 2004 - so they can be defeated by the New York Yankees.

Take care Andy - and thanks for everything.