Loss of Andy Pettitte Opens Door for John Garland

Money conscious Astros owner Drayton McLane gambled and lost when he bet he could re-sign SP Andy Pettitte by offering him something no one else could: a chance to stay and play in his adopted hometown of Houston. But with Pettitte gone to the Yankees now for $16 million a year, the Astros still have Plan B in place: a trade for White Sox SP John Garland in exchange for a couple of of Houston's up-and-coming outfielders and pitchers. Ironically, McLean could have kept Pettitte if he had merely upped his original offer another $2 million, but he refused to cross the $12 million threshhold. Pettitte, of course, is widely regarded as a superstar alongside Garland, but apparently McLane is wishfully hoping for some vague kind of parity when Pettitte's and Garland's numbers are compared at the end of next year.