[新聞] Pavano Hopes His Pitching Will Silence His Critics

[JilSander (Doer brokenheart)]

By BEN SHPIGEL
Published: February 3, 2007

Off-season conference calls with most baseball players take on a casual mood.
Questions about a player’s credibility in his clubhouse or the public
perception that he is a loafer are hardly staples.

But welcome to the world of the Yankees right-hander Carl Pavano.
He has not pitched since June 27, 2005, because of an increasingly absurd
sequence of injuries, and he has been ignored throughout the clubhouse
for failing to immediately disclose that he was in a car accident that
left him with two fractured ribs.

During a 20-minute conference call yesterday, Pavano was asked several
pointed questions, answered most of them (with varying degrees of detail)
and concentrated mostly on one theme: that he is in wonderful shape and
expects his performance to reverse any unfavorable opinions of him.

I understand the position I put myself in with the things I’ve done over
the last couple years, and I understand the importance of having everyone
on my team behind me,” Pavano said. “I understand why there are question
marks. I have a good enough relationship with my teammates where
I’m going to go in and act like I’m getting ready for the season and
I’m part of the team.”

Asked whether he felt he needed to become more mature or more accountable
for his actions, the 31-year-old Pavano said: “I don’t think many things
need to be done personality-wise. I don’t think I rubbed anyone the
wrong way or disrespected anyone in any way.”

Yet Pavano seemed acutely aware of his image and how he needed a
public makeover. In September, he hired Gregg Clifton, a respected agent.
One of the first things Clifton did was to introduce him to Brett Fischer,
a physical therapist based in Phoenix who works with several professional
athletes. During his 10 weeks in Arizona, Pavano focused on improving his
flexibility and regaining the strength in his back and his legs.

“My body feels stronger,” Pavano said. “This workout is going to
follow me through the rest of the season, and this is what I’ll do the
rest of my career.”

He answered another question about his work ethic saying:
“I can only really judge myself. I’ve always worked hard, but now
I work smart.”

Pavano spoke from West Palm Beach, Fla., near the site of his car accident
that left the Yankees fuming, and said he planned to drive to the team’s
spring-training facility in Tampa, Fla., late next week. Pavano is being
counted on for next season, but the Yankees surely know how quickly his
health can change.

Since signing a four-year, $39.95 million contract before the 2005 season,
Pavano has gone 4-6 with a 4.77 earned run average and has been limited
to 17 starts because of injuries to his back, elbow, rib and buttocks.
He required surgery only once, in May to remove a bone chip from his elbow,
and was close to returning from a rehabilitation assignment when he got into
the accident Aug. 15.

Clifton intercepted a question about Pavano’s facing disciplinary action
from the Yankees for not telling them about the car accident until two weeks
later.

“Hopefully we can sit down and hash it out,” said Clifton,
who added that he had spoken with General Manager Brian Cashman.
“What happened in ’06 is behind him, and he’s looking forward to ’07.
If there’s any hangover from last season, then we’re more than happy
to deal with that.”

As for regaining respect in the clubhouse, Pavano said he had spoken to
several teammates whom he would not identify and said he did not anticipate
needing to make amends. He said he had not spoken with Manager Joe Torre,
but he added that he had talked with the bullpen coach, Joe Kerrigan,
and would call the pitching coach, Ron Guidry, to discuss a throwing program.

Pavano will probably enter spring training as the No. 5 starter,
although the prospect Philip Hughes is lurking.
It is also possible that if Pavano pitches effectively and shows no signs of
fragility, the Yankees could trade him.

“I’ve spent the last two years waking up every day hoping my body
feels better and I’ll be able to pitch, and that hasn’t been the case,”
Pavano said. “I know I can pitch and I know I can get big-league hitters out.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/03/sports/baseball/03pavano.html?ref=sports


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推 Tzylu:合約年要到了 終於要認真了? 唉
推 pastor168:如果他突然爆走 蠻好奇現金人會不會跟他續約...
推 a1982213:我想可能不會，畢竟painvano那精美的手臂難保不會在大爆
→ a1982213:之後出問題。
推 rresonance:續約嗎....一次一年 每年都是合約年 年年爆走...
推 dreamysky:我也是再想一年一簽的說...= =+
→ bigsun0709:我覺得合約到了應該就不會續約....會也不會簽長約 XD
推 mmm333:他其實不會很老 只是他的身體比他的真正年齡老20歲的樣子
推 upscom:跟金本知憲的漢草有天壤之別.......
推 julians:yeah, his performance will be so bad that no one wants
→ julians:to criticize any more