Baseball: Yankees pitcher in the money

Left-handed pitcher Andy Pettitte turned his back on the New York Yankees yesterday to join Major League rivals the Houston Astros on a three-year contract.

Pettitte, a free agent, who won four World Series championships during nine active seasons at Yankee Stadium, will earn US$10.5 million ($16.2 million) a year in Texas.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner had originally offered Pettitte a three-year contract worth around US$38 million.

Reports said the Yankees made the new offer when they realised the Astros were close to a deal.