Wow. Those two contracts they signed last offseason were monumentally bad. Wright and Pavano are going to be locked in a deathmatch this season for fewest IP, I bet.

Here's the Hartford Courant's take on Pavano:

Dom Amore - Pavano's Back Hurting Again; Ailment Could Force Him To Start Season On DL
In 2005, his first spring training with the Yankees after signing a four-year, $40 million contract, Pavano strained his back but said little about the injury and the Yankees dismissed it. Now, they suspect he altered his motion to favor his back and developed the tendinitis in his right shoulder that destroyed his season.

Pavano is expected to need about 25-30 innings before joining the club in April, though Torre said Monday that the right-hander may even need 35 innings since he hasn't pitched since the middle of last year.

That essentially eliminates the possibility that Pavano could return by April 15, which is the first date the Yankees will need a fifth starter.

"We've been conservative the whole time," Torre said, "so we're not about to try to force him to get enough innings by that date."

A couple of hours after Pavano pitched another inning against the Phillies’ Double-A club at the Yankees’ minor league complex, Joe Torre revealed Pavano suffered a bruise on the left side of his rear end as a result of the play. Earlier, Pavano told reporters he felt good after his outing and would pitch two innings in an extended spring game Sunday.

Torre threw that plan out. Though it’s unrelated to his prior ailments, and Pavano insisted on pitching Thursday, Torre stopped him from throwing after 12 pitches to four batters because it looked like he was wincing.

“It hurts. That covers it all,” Torre said. “I don’t think we can schedule him now until the soreness gets out.

Pavano has a sore ass.
Yes Network

I'm starting to think that perhaps Carl is just a wee bit soft.

Pavano's Butt MRI™ was negative, but he's not going to pitch again until his Ass Soreness® subsides. They think it's nothing serious, but -- and this is a Big Butt -- they want don't want to push it.

AP Story on Pavano's Haunches

The Yankees also shut down right-hander Carl Pavano, who already had been scheduled to begin the season on the disabled list because of a back injury. Pavano bruised his left buttocks diving for first base while making a play in a minor league game on Tuesday.

I wonder if there's another injury there, and they're making this bump/bruise seem like mrore than it is. It seems odd that you'd 1) Bruise your ass diving for anything and 2) let it keep you out for any period of time.

IIRC, Trot's injury sustained driving to Spring Training in 04 started as a "sore ass." It's often indicative of a larger back issue, which is no stranger to Pavano.

Pavano's Butt MRI™ was negative, but he's not going to pitch again until his Ass Soreness® subsides. They think it's nothing serious, but -- and this is a Big Butt -- they want don't want to push it.

AP Story on Pavano's Haunches

Hahaha.

He has been such a disaster for them.

Of course they can "afford" it.

I don't care if he's pitching for the Yankees, or on the DL (though the DL is more of a drain on them financially, if such a thing exists). He's an average pitching who greatly benefitted from playing in the NL in front of a quality defense. Facing AL line ups, in front of the Yankee defense - let's just say I don't shake in my boots. At least with Pavano in the rotation, the Yanks are a little less likely to eat a ton of money to go get a better pitcher who will hit the market.

While I agree with your assessment of Pavano in general, I'd rather the Yankees trot out Wright, Proctor or Small every 5th day than Pavano. Let's hope this is the Mother of All Ass Bruises™.

Wright probably won't be trotted out there too often. I'm not sure the Yanks will stick with sending Small or Proctor out there on a regular basis if they aren't performing well. Cashman will be told to find some way to get a pitcher in a Yankees uniform.

Wright is the 5th starter as long as Pavano is out, with Small and Proctor next in line. It's really, really hard to trade for pitching early in the season. Certainly nobody any good is going to be available in April and May.

Seems to me the worst-case scenario for the Yankees is that Pavano continues to be extremely fragile and can't pitch, and the Yankees burn through Wright, Small and Proctor before being forced to turn to the trade market. Even though Pavano's not that good, having him return to the rotation on schedule is good for the Yankees.

I'm saying I am not expecting Wright to be healthy.

Eaither way, I'm not particularly bothered by the health of Pavano, either way.

Carl Pavano is headed to Dr. Watkins for a check of his problematic back. There have been whispers from some in Yankee camp that Pavano will likely need surgery, almost certainly season-ending and perhaps career-ending. The team knows Philip Hughes is close to ready and that Pavano’s contract is insured for backs.

We are talking about one serious ass bruise here.

OAKLAND -- The Yankees received some positive news on the health of Carl Pavano on Wednesday, as a back specialist told the club that the pitcher's bruised backside had no impact on the balky back that kept him out most of the spring.

Dr. Robert Watkins, the Southern California specialist who examined Pavano's back in February, looked at the MRI taken last week and determined there was no structural damage. He recommended Pavano continue the core stabilization program he has been doing for two months, telling general manager Brian Cashman that Pavano can get on a mound when he feels ready.