Where have you gone Andy Pettitte?

You can call him unlucky, snake bitten or whatever else, but I'm just going to say Andy Pettitte didn't get the job done yesterday against the Mets.

Pettitte's ineffectiveness has been an alarming development, coming at a time where the Yankees' pitching staff needs him most. The left-hander is 0-4 with a 6.26 ERA in his last five starts. I don't have to tell you this is dreadful, but it's important to note that if not for the resurgence of Mike Mussina, the Yankees may have been buried in the division by now.

There are certain things you've come to count on as a Yankees fan for the past 12 years, which makes Pettitte's struggles especially jarring. All players have peaks and valleys during a season, but there are other factors that should be taken under consideration. This is a nearly 36-year-old man with an iffy elbow who just so happens to be coming off a horrendous offseason of controversy. As presently constituted, this Yankees team was still built with the need for him to win 14-16 games.

Me thinks the lefty has some work to do.