"I really believe now, especially after playing with the Astros and pitching with my elbow the way it was when I needed the surgery, I realize now I could go out and probably pitch until I'm 45 years old, because I was throwing 82-83 miles an hour and still being able to compete -- maybe because I'm left-handed or whatever," Pettitte told KRIV-TV on Tuesday in Houston.

"For me, the thing of me not being able to go out there and get any guys out, I think that's so far down the road probably that's never going to play into my decision." ...

"One of the main things this was such a tough decision for me, one year could lead to another maybe," Pettitte said. "For the main reason, if I'm healthy and if my family wanted to support it again, we would consider it, but also the Yankees are going to have a new stadium. I know down the road when we get through this season that will be in the back of my head also. That would be awfully nice to play in that new stadium.

"[Hank Steinbrenner] closed the door on the Santana thing," a high-ranking Yankees official told the newspaper. "The Santana thing's over."

Albaladejo throws in the mid-90s and appears to have tremendous control, having walked just 1.73 men per nine innings in his minor league career and just two men in his 14 1/3 major league frames. His strike out rate isn't quite as impressive, but in combination with the walks it yields a 4.27 K/BB over more than 500 minor league innings, which is remarkable. Albaladejo has also allowed less than a hit an inning in his pro career and doesn't seem to have much of an issue with home runs either (though he was somewhat protected by RFK Stadium last year).

The Yankees' "by Monday night" deadline came and went. And Johan Santana was still a Twin when Tuesday arrived at the winter meetings. But even though the Yankees and Twins were still talking about different combinations as the night grew later and later, there was no indication that they were any closer to a deal for Santana than they were four days ago. In fact, if anything, the momentum seemed to be in the opposite direction. Officials from other clubs said several of the Yankees' baseball personnel at the meetings had begun openly questioning whether they even wanted to make this trade if the Twins said yes. "The more this goes on," said one AL executive, "the less they want to do it."

Santana, who has a full-no trade clause and intends to wield it to land a six-year contract extension from any team striking a deal for him, told the Twins that he would veto a trade to any team except the Yankees or Red Sox. He also warned them that he would not accept a deal in-season, forcing the Twins to move him this week or lose him to free agency after the 2008 season, when his current contract expires.

For the Yankees, the coming spring will signify a new hope and wash away the unfulfilling memories that linger from last October. For Virginia Tech, the spring will mean something entirely different.
The victims of last April's Virginia Tech tragedy won't have the luxury of washing away memories, wiping slates clean or enjoying any other mental comfort that baseball teams find every spring. Their hurt can't be reversed. ...

The Yankees will play a Spring Training game against the Virginia Tech baseball team, traveling to Blacksburg, Va., to honor the university -- less than a month before the first anniversary of the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history.

Former commissioner Bowie Kuhn was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the revamped Veterans Committee on Monday while his longtime adversary, players' union boss Marvin Miller, was left out for the second time this year.

Former Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley, managers Dick Williams and Billy Southworth and ex-Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss also were elected.