The New York Yankee is going for the next season without its ‘third winningest picther’ when Andy Pettitte finally leaves his team.Pettitte is expected to make his announcement Friday and is strongly perceived to go through with his plans to retire, which according to The Associated Press, Sports Writer Ronald Blum, the Yankee has been contemplating on since the end of last season.

A morning news conference has been arranged at the New York Stadium for Pettitte’s announcement of his final decision. Some of Pettitte’s teammates have already expressed their regret losing a great player.

"I don't think enough people know that he's still the leader of this pitching staff until today," former Yankees right fielder Paul O'Neill was quoted as telling the Associated Press in a telephone interview.

Former Yankees manager, Joe Torre, have also nothing but good things to say about Pettitte.

"Andy was probably the consummate team player," former Yankees manager Joe Torre said, according to the AP. "He's been a huge favorite of mine because he's such a standup guy, and he hasn't changed from day one. He's a great teammate, and I think that's why he won so many games. The guys that play behind him understand how intense he is, and it becomes contagious."

Before his retirement, Pettitte has been in the public eye after he was mixed-up with the drug-related issue his former teammate, Roger Clemens has been involved with.

Pettitte, though will not be seen in the field, will remain visible to the public, noted AP. He will serve as witness at the trial now faced by Clemens, who was earlier seen lying to a Congressional Committee on his use of performance-enhancing drug.

It is not clear whether his retirement is entirely due to legal issues he has to attend to. His teammates are saying that Pettitte has been feeling remissed of his duties as a father, having spent a lot of time in the field.

According to AP, Pettitte finished 240-138 with a 3.88 ERA in 16 major league seasons. He has set a major league record for wins by going 19-10 with a 3.83 ERA.

"You're going to miss him taking the mound every fifth day. You're going to miss having him as your No. 1 or No. 2 starter going into the playoffs," said O'Neill, according to AP.

The current broadcaster for the Yankees' YES Network, O’Neill added. "But you're really going to miss just how he helps younger players and how he helps pitching staffs as a veteran pitcher who's really been though pretty much everything as a New York Yankee."