Ah, Carl Pavano, the forgotten punchline to the Yankees’ efforts the last four years. Remember when he started Opening Day last season? That was quite the sight.
Anyway, Carl Pavano, the Rajah of Rehab, is still on the Yankees payroll, and today, Lisa Kennelly of the Newark Star-Ledger checked in with Carl. As you would expect, his teammates don’t miss him, and he’s trying hard — really hard, he says — to build his arm back up:
In his time with the Yankees, he’s pitched in only 19 games, going 5-6. He missed all of 2006 and is still a ways off from throwing off a mound this year, as he focuses on getting his surgically repaired elbow up to strength with long-tossing.
Aside from watching the Yankees games on TV, Pavano doesn’t stay in contact with any of his teammates. When asked if he would visit the team during their series with the Tampa Bay Rays this week, he shook his head and said, “no chance.”
“They’ve got things to focus on right now,” Pavano said. “To go in there after not being there for a month? I’m not going to interrupt what they’ve got going on. It’s just not where I need to be right now.”
If Pavano is able to make any starts this year, it will be almost certainly be more of an audition for other teams than to prove anything to the Yankees. The team has a fifth-year option on his contract, but there is no chance they will prolong what is already one of the worst free-agent signings of GM Brian Cashman’s tenure.
I’d say that the chances of Carl Pavano making a start in the Bronx this season are slim-to-none. Unless the Yankees are way up or way out, they’re not going to do Pavano any favors by showcasing him.
Kennelly’s profile is top-notch. It really wraps itself around the way Carl’s story has been on one hand pathetic and on the other hand absurd. Soon, the Carl Pavano Era will be over in the Bronx. I’m sure Brian Cashman is counting down the days.
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