A serious man

Not to be confused with another famously serious man, is Andy Pettitte all excited about this weekend's latest DO OR DIE series with the dubiously Red Socks? Um, not so much.

Andy Pettitte has been involved in the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry for most of his 13-year pro career. So after returning to the Bronx this season following his three-year hiatus in Houston, and with the Yankees coming off a three-game sweep by Boston last weekend at Fenway Park, one would think Pettitte is simply champing at the bit for another shot at the Sox beginning tonight at the Stadium.

Or is he?

"I could care less," said Pettitte, who will pitch tonight's opener. "I'm serious, man. I feel bad talking about it because I know you all want a great story. But I don't care. When I go out and pitch, I keep my head down and I don't care who's in the batter's box. I don't care who I'm facing, I don't care who's at the plate. I'm just trying to make a quality pitch."

Pettitte (1-0, 1.78 ERA) who settled for a no-decision last Friday night at Fenway after Mariano Rivera's collapsed in the eighth, isn't concerned about last week's sweep. Nor is he worried about the Yankees' slow start. Instead he's more concerned about why the Bombers are struggling.

"The bottom line is, we don't need to do anything except pitch better," Pettitte said. "Nothing else needs to be done. We're not pitching as a staff. That's all there is to it. The reason we're struggling is because we're not pitching."

Yankee starters (not including Pettitte) have had trouble getting past the fifth inning this season. Overall, they've been pounded for 123 hits in 98-1/3 innings while yielding 16 homers, including four straight dingers by the Red Sox off Chase Wright Sunday night.

Pettitte thinks some of the younger Yankees hurlers are feeling the heat for the rotation's struggles. "There's no doubt guys have been trying too hard," Pettitte said. "Trying to do a little too much instead of relaxing and going out there and getting outs. But it's a long season. We're going to pitch better and we're going to win a lot of games."

[...]

"I don't really get too worked up anymore," Pettitte said. "I did a long time ago, but I don't get too worked up anymore. I'm not going to lie to you."

Regarding that reddish stain on the sock, in typically restrained fashion, the Drama Queen responds.