This Yankees legend is still leaving his mark behind the scenes | Klapisch

TAMPA, Fla. — The flatscreen monitors placed throughout the Yankees clubhouse act as time portals to anyone of a certain age. There’s a steady loop of Ron Guidry’s killer sliders, Roger Clemens’ signature splitters, Bucky Dent’s heartbreaking home run at Fenway Park in 1978 and Andy Pettitte’s famous stare over the top of his glove.

It resonates with fans who witnessed the Yankees’ era of dominance. It’s also an educational tool to the 20-something prospects who’ve never heard of Guidry or Clemens (you’d be surprised).

Pettitte, on the other hand, has no problem being recognized. He’s not just on video, he’s here in the flesh. The legendary left-hander is in camp as a guest instructor. He’s less of a conventional pitching coach than a nurturer, mental skills specialist and sometimes just an old-fashioned storyteller

Of all the great moments in his 18-year career, including 256 victories and a franchise record 18 wins in the postseason, Pettitte reminds Yankees pitchers he’s lived on the other side, too.

Lesson No. 1: Dealing with anxiety is part of a pro athlete’s training. Sometimes that means learning first-hand.

Pettitte recalled a Sunday morning in 2007, having breakfast with his kids when ESPN’s “SportsCenter” popped up on the kitchen TV.

The matchup for “Sunday Night Baseball” caught the family’s attention: Yankees versus Red Sox, Pettitte’s turn in the rotation.

Things went downhill from there.

“They put Boston’s lineup on the screen and every one of those guys is hitting over .300,” Pettitte said. “My son says, “Wow, Dad, Manny Ramirez is hitting .450 against you.’”

Pettitte laughed off the warning, hoping his kids wouldn’t realize a seed of doubt had already been planted.

“I found myself getting nervous throughout the day, more than usual,” Pettitte said. “That stuff gets in your head. I found myself having anxiety about facing (the Red Sox).”

Hours later, as he arrived at Yankee Stadium, Pettitte made a beeline to Chad Bohling, the club’s director of mental conditioning.

“Dude, I’m about to pitch against these guys,” Pettitte said, referring to the Yankees’ archenemies.

“And this is where I’m at,” admitting to the hours of worry.

Bohling proceeded to play videos of Pettitte’s best performances at the Stadium. The exercise in visualization worked.

“I was able to put myself on the mound and remember exactly how I felt in those moments,” Pettitte said. “Not the physical aspect of pitching, but how confident I was. It brought me right back.”

Today, Pettitte is paying that lesson forward. He talks to Yankees pitchers about belief and confidence, delivered in that comforting Texas drawl.

It’s an understatement to say Pettitte is admired by his pupils.

“It’s like he knows exactly what to say to me,” said starting pitcher Carlos Rodon. “Andy knows I’m a pretty excitable guy, so a lot of times he’ll talk to me in the middle of a game, right in the tunnel (between the dugout and clubhouse) between innings.

“It’s not just information; it’s about calming me down.”

“He gives us great advice, even before we step on the mound,” starting pitcher Luis Gil said in Spanish. “It works. Andy Pettitte is a great coach, a true teacher.”

After his debut in 2023 as a special advisor, Pettitte will return in 2026 on a flexible schedule. General manager Brian Cashman said Pettitte is welcome during the regular season any time he’s free. Pettitte will shuttle between his home in Deer Park, Texas, and the Bronx.

Pettitte still wears a uniform like other coaches, but he’s rarely seen in the clubhouse where reporters can spot him.

“I’d really rather work behind the scenes, I don’t want it to be about me,” Pettitte said, making sure his responsibilities don’t encroach on pitching coach Matt Blake.

That’s never been a problem. Unlike Pettitte, Blake is responsible for the mechanical tweaks and refinements pitchers need during the course of a long season.

Still, Blake is wise enough to give Pettitte a wide berth.

“Andy’s been through the gauntlet in New York, he’s had a lot of success in the postseason,” Blake said. “These are the things we don’t have in our skill set as a coaching staff. That’s what Andy can share. He’s a good complement to our group.”

“It’s mostly like, how do you deal with pressure in New York, that’s what I’ve learned from (Pettitte,)” said starting pitcher Cam Schlittler. “I really admire him, to the point where if he compliments you, it’s a great feeling.”

Pettitte’s can-do attitude is balanced by his own brushes with failure. It’s what makes him relatable, having lived through a nightmare in the 2001 World Series when the Yankees suffered a shocking defeat to the Diamondbacks.

Most Yankees fans remember Mariano Rivera giving up the season-ending hit to Luis Gonzalez in the ninth inning of Game 7.

But Pettitte says the crushing loss wasn’t Rivera’s fault.

It was his.

“I still think I’m the one who cost us that series,” Pettitte said. “I got beat twice (in Game 2 and Game 6). And at that point, I was throwing the best I ever had. It breaks my heart.”

Pettitte was out-pitched by Randy Johnson, 4-0, in Game 2. The Yankees were down 2-0 in the World Series but won the next three games in the Bronx, including the third game, on Oct. 30, when President Bush threw out the first pitch.

At that time, the country was still reeling from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The Stadium was teeming with Secret Service agents and rooftop snipers to protect the president. The Yankees symbolized the effort to rebuild and recover.

Sweeping the Diamondbacks at home put the Yankees on the doorstep of their fourth consecutive world championship. Pettitte just had to win Game 6 in Arizona.

Instead, he pitched one of the worst games of his career, allowing six earned runs in two innings as the Diamondbacks crushed the Yankees, 15-2, to advance to a Game 7 in which Arizona ultimately prevailed.

To this day, Pettitte agonizes over what went wrong.

“It turns out I was tipping my pitches,” Pettitte said. “I didn’t find out about it until the next day. Man, I was sick over it. I couldn’t understand why their hitters kept fouling off my best pitches. I couldn’t put anyone away.

“I still haven’t gotten over it, to be honest with you.”

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