Pavano to have Tommy John surgery
May 23rd, 2007 by Tank
So that about does it for his four years with the Yankees. Let’s see… $40 million for 111.1 innings, 60 strikeouts, and 5 wins. It’s enough to make one nostalgic for Ed Whitson.
May 24th, 2007 at 12:06 am
I don’t think anyone here has been more critical about the Pavano signing than I have been. He was coming off a career year in Florida that far surpassed anything he had done in his career. He benefitted greatly by an gold glove infield of Castillo, Alex Gonzalez and Lowell. His peripherals didn’t support his 18 win campaign.
All that said, the Yanikees were a little unlucky in this situation. Pavano should have given them 4 years of league average stuff, which would been a significant help to the team, especially this year. The Yankees didn’t need Pavano to be an ace, and they were only really paying him to be a competant 3rd starter, which he should have been more than able to fulfill.
May 24th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
It seems ironic to me that we were told during that offseason - when the Yanks *and* Sox were in hot pursuit of Pavano - that he chose New York cuz “he wanted to be a Yankee”. Then his actions of the past 2-1/2 years seem to indicate exactly the opposite. Has anyone gone more out of his way to make sure he *doesn’t* play - in New York, or anywhere? I understand bad injuries happen to good people - but this guy is essentially an embezzler. He’s like a guy who gets hired somewhere and then goes out on worker’s comp with the ol’ “back pain” and collects as long as he can until it runs out… at which point he tries to find another sucker (probably in another city) to scam. Pavano’s problem is he’ll be lucky to get anything more than a minor league deal if/when he decides he wants to pitch again. Course with $40 mil… why would he?
I remember that offseason well - and perhaps to no surprise to all here, I was excited when the Sox signed Clement, reasoning that he “had the stuff” to settle into an effective pitcher with Varitek to guide him. That was true… for three months. Then (a) he got hit in the head by a Carl Crawford line drive, and/or (b) regressed to his mean - and the Sox will end up spending $30 mil for the 13 wins (I believe, without checking) that he’ll end up giving them.
That said, there’s *no* defense for the Yankees signing Jaret Wright to a three-year deal. Wright ended up hurt and didn’t finish out the contract you say? Shocking! Next thing you’ll tell me that there’s a hole in the ozone layer, or that the “las-er” has been invented!