This one’s on Girardi (with a side of Posada)

Update – 4:35 p.m.: Apparently Girardi said Gardner not running has been addressed, meaning Gardner did something wrong (h/t RAB’s Twitter page).

Why didn’t Joe Girardi have Brett Gardner steal with the extremely slow Jorge Posada up at bat?

Why couldn’t Posada hit a fly ball?

Why was Chien-Ming Wang taken out?  Why were Phil Coke and David Robertson brought in?

Eric Wedge looked like a fool for taking out the surging Carl Pavano when he did.  But by the end of the ninth inning, Girardi made Wedge look like a genius.

By the way, I’ve seen just about enough of Coke.  Walking someone batting .184 in the ninth inning is just inexcusable.

Bad, frustrating loss, folks.

Checking up on old friends

Periodically, I will check up on some of our old friends who have left New York for the 2009 season.

Jason Giambi (OAK) – 31-146 (.212/.346/.356), 5 HR (hit 400th career home run on May 23), 22 RBI, 6 2B, 25 R, 27 BB, 32 K

Bobby Abreu (LAA) – 47-152 (.309/.414/.408), HR (hit first of the season on May 26), 19 RBI, 8 2B, 2 3B, 20 R, 28 BB, 18 K

Wilson Betemit (CWS) – 9-42 (.214/.283/.333), 3 RBI, 5 2B, 2 R, 4 BB, 13 K

Ivan Rodriguez (HOU) – 35-135 (.259/.303/.452), 5 HR, 21 RBI, 7 2B, 2 3B, 15 R, 8 BB, 33 K

Carl Pavano (CLE) – 5-4, 5.50 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 55.2 IP, 66 H, 34 R, 34 ER, 6 HR, 13 BB, 46 K

Kyle Farnsworth (KC) – 1-3, 1 BSV, 3.71 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 17 IP, 15 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 HR, 4 BB, 17 K

AP Photo

Stat of the day

Carl Pavano has more wins (5) than any Yankee pitcher thus far.  Yes, he has a 5.50 ERA, but that’s in part to the one-inning, nine earned run performance he turned in on April 9.  Since then, he is 5-3 with a 4.12 ERA.

Carry on.

Checking up on old friends

Periodically, I will check up on some of our old friends who have left New York for the 2009 season.

Jason Giambi (OAK) – 20-for-96 (.208/.345/.344), 3 HR, 13 RBI, 4 2B, 17 R, 16 BB, 22 K

Bobby Abreu (LAA) – 34-for-110 (.309/.389/.355), 0 HR, 12 RBI, 5 2B, 10 R, 15 BB, 17 K

Wilson Betemit (CWS) – 9-for-31 (.290/.333/.452), 0 HR, 3 RBI, 5 2B, 2 BB, 11 K

Ivan Rodriguez (HOU) – 27-for-99 (.273/.318/.495), 4 HR, 14 RBI, 6 2B, 2 3B, 6 BB, 22 K

Carl Pavano (CLE) – 2-3, 6.61 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 31.1 IP, 40 H, 23 R, 23 ER, 4 HR, 8 BB, 23 K

Kyle Farnsworth (KC) – 0-3, 1 BSV, 6.10 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 10.1 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 10 K

Welcome back, jerk

   

Mike Mussina to Brian Cashman:

“Brian, you're not paying me less than you're paying Carl Pavano,” Mussina said.  “Don't insult me.”

Pavano started for Cleveland today

Carl Pavano started for the Indians in Arlington this afternoon.

He only retired three batters and gave up nine earned runs on six hits (two home runs), walked three and struck out one.

His season ERA is a healthy 81.00.

Is it bad that this brings great joy to me?

AP Photo

More on Torre's book

Joshua Robinson has a good summary of other topics in Joe Torre's new book, "The Yankee Years."

Covered here: Carl Pavano, George Steinbrenner's health, how the Yankees do business and steroids.

Meanwhile, this Times article by Michael S. Schmidt mainly focuses on Alex Rodriguez.

Pavano sounds off

I'll let this Carl Pavano quote speak for itself.

"When you're down, you expect your organization to pick you up, not kick you when you're down," Pavano said. "I've had to pick myself up quite a few times the last four years."

Have at it.

Newsday photo

Pavano finds a home

Carl Pavano is the latest ex-Yankee to find a home.

Jerry Crasnick is reporting that the Cleveland Indians have signed the oft-injured right-hander to a one-year contract this afternoon. A dollar amount was not disclosed.

Crasnick says the deal could have a low base salary and performance incentives.

I think it's safe to say Pavano will receive a rude welcome if and when he pitches in New York this season.

Update - 4:35 p.m.: Jon Heyman says the deal is for $1.5 million but could reach as high as $6.8 million if he makes 18 starts and pitches 130 innings. That's no easy task; Pavano didn't reach 18 starts in any season as a Yankee, and only made 26 starts with the club in four years.

Updates on soon-to-be ex-Yankees

According to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro, Carl Pavano met with the Marlins, and his agent Tom O'Connell feels the conversations went "well." Pavano, as you may remember, pitched for the Marlins before signing a four-year deal with the Yankees.

O'Connell said "quite a few teams" are interested in Pavano, including the Red Sox. As you also may remember, Pavano was drafted by the Red Sox before being sent to the Montreal Expos as part of the Pedro Martinez trade.

On the Jason Giambi front - Giambi had dinner with the Rays last night, and Andrew Friedman, the Rays' executive vice president of baseball operations, said both sides are interested.

Monday recap

The first day of the Winter Meetings was pretty busy. I know I barely left my computer today, as evidenced by me posting 14 times.

Much of the news today was spent talking about CC Sabathia. We learned today that he met with the Yankees for the second time in as many days this afternoon. We also discovered that he told Dodgers GM Ned Colletti he would like to play for them. Apparently Sabathia has great character, but hates spring training in Florida. Reggie Jackson was also involved in the first meeting with Sabathia.

There was a rumor out there today saying the Yankees and Dodgers were talking a possible Robinson Cano trade. However, that was quickly refuted.

On the A.J. Burnett front, the Yankees reportedly are ready to offer the oft-injured pitcher four years at $16 million a pop. Oft-injured Carl Pavano also spoke glowingly about New York to Burnett, saying he has the stuff to succeed there. Speaking of oft-injured pitchers, the Yankees also met with Ben Sheets.

Regarding Yankees who are actually under contract, Jorge Posada is in Tampa, Fla., throwing and preparing to catch in spring training.

And this is only the first day. Be sure to check back tomorrow.

Monday evening update: Sabathia and Pavano

According to Dan Graziano, the Yankees met with CC Sabathia today, marking the second time in as many days both side met during this process.

Cashman said last night's meeting and today's were both at Sabathias [sic] request, and that Sabathua [sic] was asking him a lot of questions about New York and playing for the Yankees. Sabathia has since left town, having also met with other teams, and gave Cashman no timetable for his decision.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Blue Jays plan to meet with Carl Pavano's agent, Tom O'Connell within the next few days.

Watch, the Yankees and Blue Jays will trade former Marlins pitchers this off-season. Pavano will magically regain whatever he had before joining the Yankees, while A.J. Burnett will perform like Pavano did while in New York.

2 Yankees nuggets from Rosenthal

Ken Rosenthal's 12:49 p.m. ET update says that the Yankees and Dodgers are talking trade.

As the Dodgers try to resolve their infield, they are again talking to the Yankees about a trade for second baseman Robinson Cano. The teams have resumed their discussions about Cano at the winter meetings, according to one source.

The Dodgers also are interested in Yankees center fielder Melky Cabrera, and the Yankees likely would want outfielder Matt Kemp and pitching in return. The Dodgers' interest in Cabrera is a sign that they might not be confident of Andruw Jones making a strong return in 2009. The Dodgers also need to find a match for Juan Pierre, who has requested a trade.

I'd love Matt Kemp here, but I'd still have a hard time parting with Robinson Cano despite his awful season. I read an article recently that Cano is down to 11 percent body fat and is working really hard to regain his form from seasons past. The conspiracy theorist in me is wondering, however, if the Yankees planted these stories to simply drive up Cano's value.

Now, on to Rosenthal's 12:31 p.m. update:

A.J. Burnett seems more interested in pitching in New York than CC Sabathia, the Yankees' other top free-agent target. While Sabathia sits on the Yankees' offer of the richest-ever pitching contract and reportedly met with GM Brian Cashman, Burnett has reached out to former Yankee Carl Pavano, who did not steer him away from the Yankees. Pavano, who did not enjoy his New York experience, told Burnett "he has the stuff to pitch there," according to a major-league source.

Thank you, Ambassador Pavano.

Yankees decline options on Giambi, Pavano

More no-brainers came from today's session of the GM meetings.

The Yankees declined Jason Giambi's $22 million option and Carl Pavano's $13 million option, according to the AP.

Giambi will receive a $5 million buyout, while Pavano will receive $1.95 million.

Regarding Pavano, Mark Feinsand reported today that Brian Cashman isn't opposed to bringing back Pavano.

“When he’s healthy, he can pitch. We have to keep our options open,” Cashman said. “I’m not ruling anything out. We have needs, so we’ll have to go to the marketplace, be it free agency or through trades, to fill those needs.”

You can't make this stuff up.

Olney: Yanks to have lower payroll

Buster Olney (via MLB Trade Rumors) says that he heard the Yankees' payroll will be around $180 million next season. That would be a decrease of almost $30 million if true.

I'm not sure where he got that number from, but let's examine it.

Big money coming off the payroll:

• Jason Giambi's $21 million. He has a $5 million buyout.
• Bobby Abreu's $16 million
• Andy Pettitte's $16 million
• Mike Mussina's $11 million
• Carl Pavano's $11 million

That is $70 million coming off the books right there. On the above list, I can only see Abreu and Mussina have a chance of coming back next year. Ivan Rodriguez won't be back, Damaso Marte has a 2009 club option and the Yankees will have to pay arbitration eligible players like Chien-Ming Wang, Xavier Nady and Brian Bruney.

The Yankees will have a lot of money to throw around at free agents. The weeks and months after the World Series should be a lot of fun.

The next Carl Pavano

Did anyone see the St. Louis Cardinals re-up Kyle Lohse for four years and $41 million (plus a no-trade clause) this afternoon and shake their head? Talk about cashing in after a career year.

The 30-year-old right-hander (in five days) went 15-6 with a 3.78 ERA. The wins and ERA were both career highs, and he has not won more than nine games in a season since 2005. He will make $7.125 million next year, $8.875 million in 20010 $11.875 million in 2011 and 2012.

This seems very similar to Carl Pavano's free-agent contract with the Yankees. Pavano won 18 games and had a 3.00 ERA with the 2004 Florida Marlins. He had not won more than 12 games in a season prior to that, and obviously hasn't since. He's actually recorded nine wins in five years.

Buyer beware.

Thanks once again, Carl

3 2/3 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HRA

Unlike Phil Hughes, Carl Pavano did not leave a good last impression.

In total, Pavano pitched 145 2/3 in four years as a Yankee.

Carl Pavano: Thanks for the memories

Carl Pavano will make his final start of the season tonight, presumably signaling the end of his tumultuous time in New York. Pavano, pitching for a contract (he has a $13 million option (Ed. note: HAHA!)), is 4-1 with a 4.99 ERA in six starts. I doubt the Yankees will bring him back.

Pavano signed a four-year, $39.95 million deal in December 2004. I'll spare you the gory details because we all know what happened after. I do think that it's amazing that Pavano will not make one postseason appearance with the Yankees, however.

The deal cannot be looked at as a mistake. Hindsight is 20/20 (maybe 20/15 if you have superior vision), and there's no way of knowing that this situation would happen. Many teams were interested in Pavano's services that off-season, after all.

If anything, this situation is unfortunate and symbolic of the Yankees organization since 2000. You obviously have to fault him for the concealed rib injury stemming from a car accident, but things could have been different if he had his elbow surgery sooner, as stated in an ESPN the Magazine article a few weeks back.

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Yankees go down swinging, at least

And I'm not talking about swinging the bats, because we all know that's not going to happen.

Carl Pavano lost for the first time since 2005 and the Yankees only recorded six hits against Jon Garland and his 6.64 ERA.

At least the Yankees aren't teasing us with playing well after all seems lost. I was afraid that was going to happen.

(AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

A-Rod's heating up

Alex Rodriguez, with his 3-for-4 and a home run performance, has three home runs and 11 RBI in his last five games. Figures he, along with the rest of the team, start heating up now. The Yankees have won five of their last seven games. Where was this when it mattered?

Carl Pavano couldn't get out of the fifth inning, but the Yankees' offense was able to carry them on this night. Edwar Ramirez was awarded the victory - his fifth of the season - and Phil Coke had another impressive outing (two perfect innings).

The Yankees, with Darrell Rasner on the mound, will look for the sweep tomorrow evening.

On a side note, Rodriguez's ninth-inning home run brought about instant replay for the first time in Major League Baseball history. The delay totaled a little over two minutes.