http://tinyurl.com/6eduao ANAHEIM, Calif. - Andy Pettitte had the most tumultuous offseason of his career, the product of his role in baseball's drug scandal. Named in the Mitchell Report, the left-hander admitted to using Human Growth Hormone, then testified several times to congressional investigators. The workout regime that he believes has been the base of his success was not abandoned. But Pettitte did not put in the amount of time he usually does. "There were times I didn't want to leave the house, much less go work out and focus on baseball," he said last night before the Yankees played the Angels. Pettitte tried to catch up in spring training, scheduling early-morning workouts and pestering teammates to join him and provide a push. For a while, it appeared to work. Pettitte was 12-7 with a 3.76 ERA through his first 22 starts. Pettitte's history suggested that he would only improve as he season went on. He has struggled instead. He is 1-5 with a 6.57 ERA over his last eight starts, putting 82 runners on base via hit or walk over 49 1/3 innings. Opponents have hit .325 against him. "I was very happy with the first half I put together, then I won my first two starts after the break and I thought, 'Here we go.' Personally, it's been frustrating," he said. Pettitte, 13-12 overall, will face the Angels today. It will be the first of four starts he has before the season ends. "It's been terrible now with the stretch I'm on. One win in my last eight starts isn't good," he said. "I don't know if I'm fooling myself, but I feel like I've been pitching decent. I've been able to throw my off-speed stuff for strikes when I want to, and that's what pitching is about." Now 36, Pettitte will be a free agent after the season. As has been the case in recent years, he will not decide until after the season whether he wants to continue playing. But Pettitte did not sound last night like a player ready to call it quits. The idea of playing at the new Yankee Stadium appeals to him - as does the idea of helping the Yankees return to prominence. "I look at that ballpark next door, and it makes you want to play there. It's wonderful to look over there and think how special that would be," he said. "I came back here to try to help this team win and win in the playoffs." Leaving his home in Texas for eight months, usually a concern, has become less worrisome. Pettitte lives in Westchester during the season and his four children have come to embrace the suburban lifestyle. Pettitte enjoys walking the streets of Rye with his kids, stopping for ice cream at favorite shops. His sons have joined baseball teams in the area. "We love it, we really do. It feels almost as much as home as Houston does sometimes," he said. "The people have been so nice to us." Josh Pettitte, who is about to turn 14, has traveled with his father on some road trips this season. He, Jared and Luke have been on the field at Yankee Stadium after many games this season, taking batting practice off their father in the outfield. "Now that they're older, they like that I'm in the majors and they can enjoy the experience," Pettitte said. "I think if I tried to quit, they'd try and talk me out of it." But while Pettitte likely will want to return, will the Yankees be as accommodating as they have been in the past? He returned for $16 million this season, making him one of the highest-paid starters in the game. A more reasonable deal might be required this time. Manager Joe Girardi still believes Pettitte can be an integral part of the rotation in 2009. "Absolutely I think he can be effective," he said. "The second half he's had some tough losses. He's thrown some really good games, too. It's been a decent season. Maybe not the wins we're accustomed to seeing. But he's given innings and he's done his job for the most part." --

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