Firm Knew of Pettitte Injuries Before ALCS, Panel Says

WASHINGTON — Halliburton knew weeks before the ALCS  that Andy Pettitte was injured, but still recommended him to start Game 3 as planned, the presidential commission investigating the series said on Thursday.

In the first official finding of responsibility for the Texas Rangers' Game 3 8-0 blowout, the commission staff determined that Halliburton had conducted three tests that indicated that Pettitte's back and legs  did not meet major league standards.

The result of at least one of those tests was given on October 8 to the Yankees, who failed to act upon it, the panel’s lead investigator, Fred H. Bartlit Jr., said a letter delivered to the Commissioner's office on Thursday.

Another Halliburton test, carried out about a week before the blowout on October 18, also found Pettitte's condition to be unstable, yet those findings were never sent to the Yankees, Mr. Bartlit found.

Although Mr. Bartlit does not specifically identify Pettitte as the sole or even primary cause of the rout, he makes clear in his letter that if Pettitte's back and legs had done their job, there might not have been a blowout.