Carl Pavano, after throwing six innings for Triple-A Columbus Friday night, deemed himself ready to return to the Yankees.
With Jaret Wright struggling and with Mike Mussina on the disabled list, it seems likely Pavano's next start will be in pinstripes in the Bronx. My question to you is this: will you boo him before he throws a pitch?
Pavano, on the disabled list for more than 14 months, threw 89 pitches for Columbus.
One hitter from the other team who faced him said Pavano's fastball was consistently at 90-to-91 miles per hour, a good sign, though he said it was pretty straight. He described his changeup/splitter as above average, but his breaking ball was so-so. One promising sign: the hitter said Pavano seemed to get stronger as the night went on. Photo courtesy of clippersbaseball.com
Comments (21)
No way, but I don't boo.
The Yankees need him.
Right now I'm booing "Clueless Joe." How can he leave a well rested Rivera on the bench, knowing Boston is losing 6-0. If healthy, Rivera should have pitched the 9th. The Angels didn't hesitate to use K-Rod. This is the major reason we have trouble beating the Angels. Scioscia knows how and when to use his personnel, and is good in making game decisions. Torre is horrible at this, and has obviously earned the nickname "Clueless."
can we at least wait until pavano pitches before you, a newspaperman, start up the booing nonsense?
With Boston fumbling all over Seattle it was a perfect night to try Dotel in a pressure situation. He has to get innings that count to be worth a damn in the long run. I thought it made alot of sense to let him win or lose a game we didn't have to win to keep pace. I think Joe has a very quick hook, yet the releivers know what to expect and the train to keep up with the demand. Proctor or Villone want the ball everyday. Farnsworth loves to pitch. Dotel wants to be ready. What does Joe do wait till a game with no ramification at all to test Dotel? He knows what the others can do and if he gets Dotel ready he has an even more powerful hand for the stretch. "Clueless", my ass. Joe has done a manager of the year job this season. Not every game every night makes or breaks a ballclub. Players do. Players like Dotel who can mean all the difference in the world when it really counts. Using K-Rod last night could haunt Soccia today and I bet if you asked him about last night he might repeat what I just said.
Dotel did not start the 9th inning. If "Clueless" wanted to give Dotel some work, he should have started the inning with him, and therefore given him a little lee-way to work with. Having the best reliever in baseball well rested on your bench in the 9th inning of a tie game is senseless. Add to this the fact that Boston was losing 6-0, and it is even more ridiculous. At this point in the season, you play to win every game, every night, every way you can. Dotel has roughly 5 weeks to get into playoff shape. The quicker we eliminate Boston the sooner and easier this becomes.
calm down, guys. you're both knowledgeable baseball fans. one wants to win today, the other sees the big picture. i tend to fall on the big picture side until boston starts winning.
there was some inconsistency in joe's approach because he used his main three bullpen setup guys, then he didn't go to mo in the ninth. but we do need to find out about dotel. if he gets the strike three call on napoli, maybe he gets the third out, too. it was a plus to see him out there considering where dotel was three weeks ago.
What I like about this blog is the content from the responders. Its gives diverse opinions usually with no sarcastic return from another. Joe has his reasons for the moves. He must determine now who else can he use down the stretch. We lost a game but no ground. I believe this team has not even hit its stride because of injuries which should occur going into the playoffs. My concern is Wright. I can't take it no more. This guy amazes me. A major leaguer for ten years or so. The guy can't put 2 pitches over the plate consecutively to the same batter. Joe says, "he has the heart of a lion". In my mind he needs to be replaced. Heart or no heart, 5 innings at best with a close to 5 ERA. He's no box of chocalates. I for one would love to see Pavano replace Wright and dispell the bad feelings that Yank fans have for him. Boo him, Not now or ever, I don't boo pro athletes. I hope he pitches out his --- and wins some games. If, Wright was a horse it would be off to the glue factory.
hey, larry. i think we can buy wright out after this season for one or two million. the agony is almost over. in fact, if pavano starts next time through, the wright era may be finished already! at least he somehow won nine games for us. he did his part. it's just time to move on.
To Terry, I can't believe that he won 9 games. From your lips to the big Man upstairs ears may his (Wright) era be over.
ANDY- Explain to me just what "Clueless Joe" was doing with the Yankee bullpen today. He uses Dotel and Myers again, but this time in the 7th inning of a game we trail by 2 runs. Rivera has now not pitched in 6 days, the bullpen is spent, and we have lost 4 out of 5. I assume Rivera will pitch Sunday even if the game is a blowout for us or them. The Yanks are off Monday, meaning Rivera will have pitched 1 time in the last 8 days. If Rivera is healthy, please explain not using the best reliever in all of baseball, while losing 4 out of 5, and "burning up" the bullpen.
i never second-guess joe but i can't disagree with anything you just said, andy. i, too, am perplexed.
No, I wouldn't boo Pavano (not that it would do any good since I'd only be sitting in front of the TV).
He hasn't done anything performance-wise that deserves booing.
Sure, he hasn't done a thing for the Yanks except to cash his checks but fans usually show their displeasure if you don't perform and not when you get hurt.
Joe Torre?
I don't like his style.
Sciocia is a much more clever manager.
I'm willing to give him the benifit of a start of 2.
No. But, I'll be shocked if he makes 2 consecutive starts. I can't watch Jared Wright pitch anymore. He's in trouble every inning.
Of course I won't boo him until he gets rocked. Injuries are part of the game & maybe just maybe he can provide the help they desparetly need.Some of the ole Marlin magic he showed against us. Give em a chance I say but at the same time give Colter Bean a chance.Karstens,TJ Bean(head),Veras,etc. all had theirs its time to give there triple A ace a shot!!
Show me 4 quality starts from Pavano and it gets a little of my attention otherwise my jury will stay out on him.
Joe Torre should use him on the road for his 1st few outings because if he pitches in the Stadium, his feelings will be hurt more than his fragile body once the boo birds are out in full throttle.
It's easy to second guess Joe from here in front of a screen. Maybe Mo is sore, or has the flu or whatever. I didn't care for losing 4 of 5, yet these west coast swings seem to always kill us. They kick my butt too for a few days. These guys haven't had a night off in two weeks going on three. Whoever gave them this stretch in the schedule wears a leather hood and carries an ax around in his spare time. Let's sit back and see, maybe all will be revealed. It is the RISP stats that bother me the most right now. The key hits aren't coming off tired bats.
Carl Who? This gutless gold digger should never see the mound again in Yankee Stadium. Package him with A-Rod for a reliable middle reliever. And why is it that the Yankees are the only MLB team with a 16 man bullpen, but yet NONE of them can ever pitch more than one inning and then they need four days rest before they pitch again??? Why are they on the roster if they're not capable of pitching when needed?
"Carl Who? This gutless gold digger should never see the mound again in Yankee Stadium. Package him with A-Rod for a reliable middle reliever."
You seem to have a problem understanding that whole trade deadline thingy.
Good Luck with that: I understand the trade deadline thing perfectly. But if you have noticed, some trades still do occur in August...examples: Eric Hinske to Red Sox, Shawn Green to Mets, etc.
"Good Luck with that: I understand the trade deadline thing perfectly. But if you have noticed, some trades still do occur in August...examples: Eric Hinske to Red Sox, Shawn Green to Mets, etc."
Are you the least bit familiar with the waivers procedure? Guess not.