Pettitte throws his first game* of the spring

For the first time since Game Six of the World Series, Andy Pettitte took to the mound today against hitters trying to do some damage off him. He threw a two inning simulated game on a back field of the Tampa complex, throwing 36 pitches total to Colin Curtis (a lefty) and Randy Winn (a switch hitter). “Mentally, I feel like I’m seeing my pitches,” said Pettitte. “Especially, at my age, I’m happy at 9 o’clock in the morning to be able to get it going, I was up at 5:30 trying to get ready for this.”

Sometime in the next week, the bullpen trio of Mariano Rivera, Damaso Marte, and Chan Ho Park will get into an exhibition game. Pettitte and Javy Vazquez are the only remaining members of the projected starting rotation that have not yet gotten into a game against opposing players, but that should happen this week.