News
Pavano to take on former club in finale
Cleveland (4-8) at New York (6-6), 1:05 p.m. ET
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
04/18/09 9:56 PM ET
NEW YORK -- Carl Pavano didn't even bother to leave his hotel room and venture out into the streets of Manhattan the other night. "I tried to find one of those riot guards," he joked. "I couldn't find him, so I decided to stay in the hotel." That was probably a wise move, if the reception Pavano received during roster introductions at Thursday's Yankee Stadium opener was any indication. Pavano, as expected, was booed mercilessly by the Yankees faithful, still frustrated by the four injury-plagued seasons he spent collecting paychecks that totaled $39.95 million. But Pavano will have no choice but to venture out into the light of day Sunday. He'll be getting the starting nod for the Tribe against the Yanks in front of a national TV audience on Sunday MLB on TBS -- with Chip Caray and Ron Darling calling the action -- and in front of a crowd of angry fans. "I wish I could have given them more to cheer about," Pavano said. "Hey, I was disappointed a lot of the times, too. It was difficult for me, too. But I learned a lot from it. I've got another opportunity here, and that's all I can ask for." Pavano has not made the most of that opportunity, to this point. He was shelled for nine runs in one-plus inning of work against the Rangers in his Tribe debut on April 8, and he fell to 0-2 when he allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings against the Royals on Tuesday. But Pavano did show improvement in that last outing. He didn't walk anybody, and he struck out eight. "I just tried to be a little more aggressive," he said. "In Texas, I was inconsistent, and they got to me early. I kind of ran into a team that was swinging the bat well and was really aggressive. I didn't have my best stuff or my best control." Pavano can't control the past. What's done is done, and the injuries he suffered during his Yankees tenure -- including a bruised buttocks, bone chips in the elbow, a rib fracture in a car accident and a ligament tear in his elbow, among other things -- are all in the past. Well, everywhere but here, that is. Pavano, who earned the nickname "American Idle" as a result of all the injuries, might be gone, but he's not forgotten in these parts. "I'm sorry they feel that way," he said. In the Yankees' weight room at the old stadium, players had taped up a picture of Pavano with "R.I.P." written under his image. Joe Torre's book, The Yankee Years, co-written with Tom Verducci, questioned Pavano's loyalty to the organization during those four years and made the claim that "the players hated" Pavano. "He's a guy with all these issues in his life," Torre wrote, "and he's not sure what's important and what isn't." Pavano has brushed aside Torre's book since its release over the winter. And for all he's been through in the Bronx, he still has nothing but good things to say about playing for the Yankees. In fact, Pavano encouraged his former Marlins teammate and Sunday opponent, A.J. Burnett, to sign with the Yanks over the winter. "I knew he'd be fine here," Pavano said of Burnett. "He likes the big stage. It brings out the best of him. He's a competitor." One could sense the competitive edge in Pavano's tone when he talked about the opening of the new Yankee Stadium and his memories of the old one. "As difficult as those four years were for me, I celebrated a World Series [with the Marlins] in that visiting clubhouse in 2003, and that was obviously exciting," he said. "So to say I didn't have any good times in New York would be a lie, because I had a pretty good time in 2003." On Sunday, Pavano will be looking for another good time, once the booing subsides. Pitching matchupCLE: RHP Carl Pavano (0-2, 16.71 ERA)
Manager Eric Wedge liked the way Pavano used both sides of the plate with his fastball and dropped in his slider against the Royals. The eight strikeouts marked Pavano's highest total since June 27, 2004. NYY: RHP A.J. Burnett (2-0, 2.70 ERA)
Burnett has proven to be a horse in his first two turns through the rotation, logging victories in both of his starts as a Yankee. He last started Tuesday at Tampa Bay and carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, showcasing dominant command of his pitches and striking out nine in a 103-pitch performance. Burnett allowed two runs on three hits in the start, with Carl Crawford busting up the bid with a single to left leading off the seventh. Burnett lost his only start against the Indians in 2008, allowing three runs in 7 2/3 innings on May 12 at Progressive Field while pitching for the Blue Jays. He is 1-4 with a 7.20 ERA in five career starts against the Tribe. Tidbits
The Indians' 14-run second inning Saturday tied for the most productive inning in club history. The only other time the Tribe scored 14 in an inning came in the first inning of the June 18, 1950, game against the Philadelphia A's. ... Asdrubal Cabrera hit an RBI single and his first career grand slam in the big inning, thus becoming the first Tribe player to drive in five runs in a single inning since Richie Sexson did it on Aug. 31, 1999, against the Angels. ... Mark DeRosa tied a career high with six RBIs on Saturday. He's achieved the feat four times. ... The Indians scored 20 runs Saturday for the first time since their 22-0 victory over the Yanks on Aug. 31, 2004. ... The six-homer game was the Tribe's first since July 4, 2006, also against the Yanks. ... The 50 total bases for the Indians tied a club record. ... The 22-4 win was Eric Wedge's 500th as manager of the Tribe. Only four other Indians skippers (Lou Boudreau, Mike Hargrove, Tris Speaker and Al Lopez) have reached that mark. ... Outfielder David Dellucci (strained left calf) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Columbus on Monday. The assignment can last up to 20 days. Tickets
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• Monday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Indians (Aaron Laffey, 0-0, 3.38) vs. Royals (Sidney Ponson, 0-1, 4.50), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Indians (Cliff Lee, 1-2, 6.75) vs. Royals (Gil Meche, 1-0, 2.25), 7:05 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.
