The answer from this correspondent is yes, eventually. Pettitte is the all-time leader in postseason wins with 17. As a lefthander who has pitched much of his career in the American League East, he has 229 regular-season wins and counting.

Bill Madden, the longtime and respected baseball writer for the New York Daily News who has covered all of Pettitte’s career said: “He’s in the conversation, but he isn’t quite there yet.’’ Madden believes Pettitte needs to get to 250 wins and he also feels the pitcher’s admission of HGH use might hurt him when he’s finally up for election, not to mention his 3.91 ERA, which would be higher than normal for a Hall of Famer. Madden compares him to Jack Morris and believes Morris hasn’t gotten in because of his high ERA.

Globe colleague Peter Abraham, who covered some of Pettitte’s career in New York, agrees the lefty will be a Hall of Famer.

“He’s pitched most of his career in the AL, and over the course of time voters will look back on that and be impressed because of the caliber of teams that were in that division,’’ Abraham said. “The way he got through his confession of drug use serves as an example for others, given how little fallout there was.’’

There’s no doubt that Pettitte, who won Game 3 of the World Series against the Phillies Saturday night by throwing six innings without his best stuff, is well liked among other players, and also the writers, who ultimately decide who gets in the Hall. Likeable or not, Pettitte has pitched well in the biggest games. His ERA might be high, and perhaps he’s enjoyed the benefit of talented Yankee teams since he entered the league with Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera - all of whom likely will be enshrined at Cooperstown someday along with their primary manager, Joe Torre.

But Pettitte’s candidacy ranges from a resounding no to some to a definite yes for others.

Detroit Free Press baseball writer John Lowe reserves the right to use his five years after Pettitte’s career to make up his mind, but he said Pettitte has “distinctive credentials.’’

Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post, whose paper does not allow him to vote for the Hall of Fame, said if he did have a vote he’d only check off the most elite candidates and he doesn’t feel Pettitte belongs in that group.

ESPN’s Howard Bryant believes Pettitte is making quite a case for himself based on his big-game performances, while Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse says if he sticks to his guns on not voting for cheaters, Pettitte never will get his vote. If Price bases his vote on what Pettitte accomplished on the field, “his postseason performance does carry a lot of weight.’’

Bill Shaikin, the national baseball writer for the Los Angeles Times, whose paper also does not allow him to vote for the Hall, said, “I never thought of him as a Hall of Famer. He’d be in the ‘Hall of Very Good.’ He was never dominant in his league.’’

USA Today baseball writer Bob Nightengale said: “No, he doesn’t have the victories, although he has had an impressive postseason record. But he was never dominant in the regular season, whereas Pedro Martinez would be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.’’ Nightengale said he would not factor Pettitte’s HGH use into the equation.

Two non-voters, former Mets general manager Jim Duquette and former Toronto manager Buck Martinez, both covering the World Series, agree that Pettitte is heading for Cooperstown.

“I think the numbers are there,’’ said Duquette. “The postseason numbers are better than anyone who has ever pitched.’’ Martinez said: “Yes, he should get in, but not before Bert Blyleven and Jack Morris.’’

Everybody has different twists and different concerns about Pettitte, as they do with Mike Mussina and Curt Schilling.

The Washington Post’s Thomas Boswell said: “I just don’t think [he gets] there. There are so many pitchers who were in that range of victories that didn’t get in. I was talking to Reggie Jackson recently and he thought [Pettitte] needed three more years and needed to get up to that 270-win range. Just the postseason may not be enough because you have others like Jim Kaat, who won 283 games and had good postseason numbers, and Luis Tiant and Mickey Lolich that never got in.’’

Here’s one feather in Pettitte’s cap - his 229-135 career record is 94 more wins than losses. There aren’t many pitchers with that differential. There are 16 with a differential of 90 or more, and only Mussina and Pettitte are not yet in the Hall of Fame.

Pettitte’s season average is a 17-10 record with a 3.91 ERA and 215 innings. He’s pitched 243 1/3 postseason innings with a 17-9 record and a 3.88 ERA. Incredibly consistent.

Pettitte is 37 and may not be the type to want to hang on just to achieve whatever the magic number is to the voters. Mussina (270 career wins) left the game after a 20-win season and some believe he should have hung on to get as close to that 300-win mark as possible.

Also, with pitchers, we may have to start evaluating the numbers differently. Starters aren’t working as many innings or complete games and are leaving their fates in the hands of inferior relievers. How many more 300-game winners will there be?

Postseason success has to carry a lot of weight. You can argue Pettitte has had more opportunities and has been on the best teams, but he’s also had to perform at the most critical time. For that, he has entered the Hall of Fame discussion.

Nick Cafardo can be reached at cafardo@globe.com.