Andy Pettitte and Whitey Ford: A Comparison

Keith Allison / Flickr / Wikimedia Commons

The big news on the New York baseball airwaves last week was Andy Pettitte's announcement of his retirement after a 16-year career in the major leagues with the New York Yankees and Houston Astros. As soon as the official word was given, a multitude of talking heads discussed Pettitte's candidacy for the Hall of Fame. The soutpaw's career totals parallel that of another Yankee left-handed great, Hall of Famer Whitey Ford.

Below are Pettitte's final totals juxtaposed with Ford's. Playing in the era of specialization, it is no surprise that Pettitte falls short when comparing complete games. The rest of their statistics are eerily similar. How does Pettitte's career stack up against Ford's, and is Andy Pettitte a Hall of Famer? Discuss below.

In case you are wondering, Ford needs a second hand just to display his World Series rings, owning six, while Pettitte garnered five during his career.

Career Statistics

Player Name	Stat Type	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WP					WHIP
Andy Pettitte	MLB	240	138	3.88	489	479	25	4	3	0	3,055	3185	1461	1317	263	962	2251	62					1.36
Whitey Ford	MLB	236	106	2.75	498	438	156	45	35	10	3,170	2766	1107	967	228	1086	1956	75					1.22