Final Post About Pavano

    With the Yankees pitching staff in its current disarray, they could use a starting pitcher in his prime to take the pressure off of Andy Pettitte and the recovering Chien-Ming Wang and Mike Mussina; instead they get Pavano, who they signed to be an innings-eating starter and workhorse. If Pavano were diagnosed with an injury that others could say, "Well, the guy’s hurt; what can you do?" like a torn rotator cuff or elbow tendon, I don’t think that the backlash would be as bad both in and out of the Yankees clubhouse. It took two weeks, two starts and 11 innings for Pavano to go back on the disabled list with a "pulling" sensation in his forearm. The entire Yankees organization seems to have thrown their hands up in the air regarding the worst misjudgement of a free agent since Ed Whitson. 
    At this point, there is no way for Pavano to rehabilitate himself with his teammates and fans unless he returns immediately and his performance approximates Orel Hershiser circa 1988. In other words, forget it; and forget him.

    And regarding the Yankees seven game losing streak and sudden ineptitude at the hands of the Red Sox, I’ve seen this too many times to believe that it’s a long term Yankees collapse. I still think that they’re going to right the ship and win the division. Haven’t we seen this story before?