Amid the flurry of reports that came during the general manager meetings -- which were ripe with gossip over big names such as CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira -- the most stunning one involved a name Yankees fans thought they no longer had to hear: Carl Pavano.
As in, the Yankees were considering bringing Pavano back, according to the New York Daily News. To which any casual or avid follower of the team could only respond: Seriously?
A return by Pavano -- thanks to four years spent mostly inactive because of injuries both serious and dubious -- would be as unwelcome in parts of the Yankees' clubhouse and fan base as a third term by George W. Bush would have been to Democrats.
But the News' sources said the Yankees were Pavano's first choice because, his agent said, "He has unfinished business." More incredibly, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was mulling the return, according to an unnamed source in the report.
"Cashman has definitely not closed the door on Pavano at all," the source told the paper.
Granted, Cashman told reporters at the GM meetings the only sure things in his rotation are Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain (whose innings production will have to be monitored).
But news later emerged that Andy Pettitte wanted to return, according to Houston television station KRIV. The Yankees still will have gaping holes to fill in the rotation, and they will pursue Sabathia, whose agent said the Milwaukee ace will be open to all teams.
But it's surprising to see Cashman waste any energy on Pavano -- a pitcher whose contract he had to repeatedly defend over the past four years.
