NewsPavano eager to get first start under belt
Cleveland (0-2) at Texas (2-0), Thursday, 2:05 p.m. ET
In Carl Pavano's last three spring outings, he went 2-0, allowing four earned runs in 17 2/3 innings. (Pat Sullivan/AP)
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
04/09/09 1:59 AM ET
ARLINGTON -- As if another example of how little Carl Pavano pitched for the Yankees is necessary, here's another example of how little Carl Pavano pitched for the Yankees. Pavano's start Thursday afternoon at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington will be his first career appearance against the Rangers. In four injury plagued seasons with the Yanks, Pavano never made his turn in the rotation against them. But after a spring camp in which Pavano stayed healthy and made every turn, he's hoping Thursday's outing in the series finale ushers in a career renaissance. "It's been a long time since I've had over 30 innings [of spring exhibition work] going into the season," Pavano said. "So that feels good, just to get that repetition." Over the course of that repetition, Pavano made some changes in his mechanics that he feels give him better push on his pitches. The 6-foot-5 Pavano uses his height to deliver the fastball on a downward angle, but he's also trying to get his legs more heavily involved. "It's about putting me in the position to make quality pitches," he said. "My mind was ready to do it, but my body wasn't doing it. My body's starting to catch up to my mind a little bit, so the results and execution have been better." Pitching coach Carl Willis suggested the alterations after watching video of Pavano from 2004, when he won 18 games for the Marlins. That season stands as the last time Pavano made more than 17 starts or pitched more than 100 innings. "We saw some things that had changed because of his injuries and not pitching frequently," Willis said. "It's about slowing things down, staying under control and repeating your delivery without it taking so much of your consciousness." The Indians were, of course, conscious of the risks associated with Pavano when they signed him to a one-year contract with a $1.5 million guarantee. Here with the Tribe, Pavano won't carry the burden of a megadeal like the four-year, $39.95 million one he signed with New York. But he does carry the burden of being the No. 3 starter in a rotation filled with question marks. And already, after both Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona turned in clunkers against the Rangers, he's being asked to salvage a series. Pavano is encouraged by the way his spring ended. In his last three outings, he went 2-0, allowing four earned runs in 17 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out nine. "The results and execution are showing that I'm on the right track," he said. "I just need to stay consistent with what we've been doing." Pitching matchupCLE: RHP Carl Pavano (2009 debut)
Pavano has only faced three members of the Rangers' roster -- Marlon Byrd (8-for-20), Andruw Jones (1-for-19) and Omar Vizquel (0-for-4). TEX: RHP Brandon McCarthy (2009 debut)
McCarthy missed most of last season with severe right elbow inflammation and made just five starts for the Rangers. He made just 22 starts and one relief appearance for Texas in 2007, when he went 5-10 with a 4.87 ERA. For his career, McCarthy is 10-14 with 4.56 ERA in 39 starts with the Rangers and White Sox; he is 4-2 with a 4.58 ERA in 13 career games against the Indians, who are the only team McCarthy has beaten more than once. Tidbits
The last time the Indians began a season 0-2 was 2005. ... Right-hander Anthony Reyes, slated to start Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, had his last spring tuneup Tuesday night, pitching for Mount Olive College in an exhibition against Class A Kinston. He went 4 2/3 innings, allowing a run on two hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. He threw 80 pitches. ... Vizquel, a backup for the Rangers, will get the start at shortstop against his former team. Tickets
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• Friday: Indians (Scott Lewis, 2009 debut) vs. Blue Jays (Scott Richmond, 2009 debut), 4:05 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Indians (Cliff Lee, 0-1, 12.60) vs. Blue Jays (Roy Halladay, 1-0, 6.43), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Indians (Anthony Reyes, 2009 debut) vs. Blue Jays (TBD), 1:05 p.m. ET
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
