Maybe Andy Petitte is becoming the reincarnation of Brett Favre.  Will he retire?  Will he return to the Yankees?  So far this winter, the pitcher has been on the fence regarding his future in baseball.

Howver, Yankees’ manager, Joe Girardi, says that Pettitte is at least getting into baseball shape in the event he decides to pitch in 2011.

“I believe he is throwing,” Girardi said, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “He wants to be prepared, whatever his decision is.”

GM Brian Cashman sounded a less optimistic about Pettitte’s possible return.

“Andy has told us he’s not in,” Cashman said on Wednesday. “He told us that right after we got knocked out by Texas. He told us if he ever changes his mind, he’ll let us know.”

While there’s an obvious competitive desire for Pettitte to continue his career, there are two factors that will ultimately affect Pettitte’s decision: his desire to be closer to his family in their Houston, Texas home and the amount of money the New York Yankees want to offer. It’s been previously reported that Pettitte will return to New York if they offer him a contract that “isn’t insulting.” It’s believed that Pettitte may be unhappy with his previous pay structure – he’s the team’s number 2 pitcher, but he’s being paid like a number 4 starter. The Yankees have about $20 million left in their 2011 budget,

“We always have hope. I always think positive,” Girardi said. “I hope he does come back — who wouldn’t want Andy Pettitte to come back? But you do have to kind of prepare like he’s not coming back.”