Mark Teixeira believes that starting pitcher Andy Pettitte continues to lean toward retiring, reports ESPN New York.

"I think, like everyone else [thinks], if he's leaning one way, he's probably leaning towards retiring," Teixeira, who has swapped text messages with the lefty, said. "I think that's what he's publicly said. It's no secret right now. That's probably where he's leaning. But in a month and a half, a lot can happen."

If Pettitte retires, he will have spent 13 years with the Yankees, sandwiched around a 2004-06 stint in Houston and won 240 games with a 3.88 ERA. He was the club's second-best pitcher in 2010, posting an 11-3 record with a 3.28 ERA in the 21 starts he was able to make.

Even if Pettitte does not return, Teixeira is confident the team can contend.

"We basically have the same team that won the World Series two years ago," he said. "We're going to miss Andy of course but we have some young guys who are going to try to step in and do the job."

Yep, because Sergio Mitre and Ivan Nova are just as good as Andy Pettitte and Joba Chamberlain...

-- Evan Brunell