FROM JOEL SHERMAN
Mike Mussina left the very, very strong impression with friends at the end of the season that this was it, that he was retiring. It is possible that being away from the game for a few weeks or having Yankee officials make a strong sales pitch to return in 2009 could begin to change his mind. There is this sentiment that Mussina would not go out on a 20-win season. But friends say that what is pushing Mussina toward retirement is the 2007 season. It was in that season — his worst — that Mussina went 11-10 with a 5.15 ERA and was bounced from the rotation late in the year. Friends say that Mussina does not want to risk going out that way, possibly even being released during the season. And the friends say Mussina does not want to make a run at 300 wins (he has 270) as a foundering pitcher just sticking around to get the number.
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