More than one trial to Andy's comeback

Wow. You hang around the Yankees long enough, you think nothing can surprise you, but Andy Pettitte's comeback ranks as a bona fide shocker.

Once we shake off the disbelief, two reactions stand out:

1. It's extremely difficult to know what the Yankees can expect from their beloved lefthander after his year away from the game.

2. Just like when he returned to the Bronx in 2007 after his three-year tour with the Astros, Pettitte, 39, will be bringing Roger Clemens with him.

No, no, The Rocket isn't making a comeback at age 49. But part of the reason Pettitte's decision is so surprising is that he has a high-profile appointment coming up in Washington.

The government's second attempt to convict Clemens of perjury will commence on April 16, and Pettitte will be a star witness against the seven-time Cy Young Award winner.

You may recall that it was the prosecution's illicit mention of Pettitte's wife, Laura -- in the opening argument -- that prompted Judge Reggie Walton to declare a mistrial last July.

SEE PHOTOSLong Island in the pros: MLB edition

Pettitte has proved that he can pitch through off-the-field distractions, but there's the logistical issue of his commitment to the case. He'll have to leave the Yankees to testify, and you'd think the government folks would want him to take some extra time to prepare for the cross-examination by Clemens' attorneys.

"Oh, man, that's not anything that I would even want to talk about," Pettitte told reporters Friday in a conference call. "Until you just brought that up, that hasn't even entered my mind."

If nothing else, the Clemens case gives the Yankees further incentive to bring Pettitte along slowly and hope that by the time he's ready to help the big-league club, a verdict has been delivered.

The other reason the Yankees want Pettitte to take his time is because he turns 40 on June 15 and he hasn't pitched competitively since Game 3 of the 2010 American League Championship Series.

SEE PHOTOSYankees Opening Day starters

You may remember that, while Pettitte performed well in that game and the start before that (Game 2 of the Division Series), he missed two months with a strained left groin, then worried the Yankees sick that postseason with back problems.

It's often the rest of the pitcher's body, not the arm, that quits on him. We saw that with the likes of Clemens and Nolan Ryan. Pettitte conceded Friday that he feels as though he needs considerable work to strengthen his legs.

Look, you can't rip anyone for this transaction. For the Yankees, who already possessed starting pitching depth, it's a low-cost risk for a fan favorite and a guy whom they were willing to pay eight figures a year ago. For Pettitte . . . you never fault a guy for giving it another try. At the least, the Yankees' clubhouse becomes a better place the minute Pettitte re-enters it.

By the time Pettitte and the Yankees decide it's time for the official re-launch, the surprise will have worn off, and probably the Clemens case, too. At that juncture, we'll have a better sense whether this represents brilliant foresight by the Yankees, nothing more than Pettitte scratching an itch or something in between.

I'll put my chips closer to the "scratching an itch" side. But I also think Pettitte will prove himself, once again, far happier as a pitcher than as a government witness.