December 12, 200421 yr Surprised? Pavano picks Yankees; holdup on Wright deal By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer December 11, 2004 ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Carl Pavano decided Saturday he wanted to pitch for the Yankees, and his agent and New York closed in on a four-year contract worth about $39 million. Pavano called his agent, Scott Shapiro, on Saturday morning and informed him of his decision. ``Number one, he wants to win,'' Shapiro said. Anaheim, Baltimore, Boston, Detroit and Seattle also sought the right-hander, 18-8 with a 3.00 ERA for Florida last season. Shapiro said his next step was to meet with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to finalize an agreement. Pavano and Shapiro met with the Yankees in New York last weekend, and Shapiro was confident a contract would be agreed to. ``We have to really hunker down and have some serious negotiations to hammer out the deal,'' Shapiro said. The Yankees expect the agreement will be worth about $39 million, a baseball official said on condition of anonymity, and the contract could contain an option for a fifth season. ``I'm hopeful because of his confidence,'' Cashman said. New York also has a preliminary agreement with right-hander Jaret Wright on a $21 million, three-year contract, but there may be a hitch in the deal. New York is still evaluating his physical exam, the baseball official said, and hasn't determined whether he passed it or failed it. Cashman refused to discuss the matter and Wright's agent, Adam Katz, declined comment. Pavano had been wooed by the World Series champion Red Sox, with Curt Schilling inviting him to his home last month. A native of New Britain, Conn., he began his professional career in the Boston organization, and was traded to Montreal in the 1997 deal that brought Pedro Martinez to the Red Sox. ``The Red Sox are an incredible organization. Obviously he's got a soft spot in his heart for them,'' Shapiro said. ``It's been a real difficult decision for him. ... It's about Carl being happy where he's living and where he's playing.'' Earlier in the day, former Yankee David Wells made a surprising decision to pitch for Boston, reaching a preliminary agreement on an $8 million, two-year contract with the Red Sox that could be worth up to $18 million. In the AL championship series, New York became the first major league baseball team ever to waste a 3-0 postseason series lead, losing to Boston as its pitching collapsed. The Yankees have made reshaping their rotation a priority, and Pavano would join holdovers Mike Mussina, Javier Vazquez, Kevin Brown and possibly Wright. New York also has been talking with left-hander Eric Milton, who wants a $24 million, three-year deal, and could bring back Orlando Hernandez. Pavano, who turns 29 next month, has been probably the most sought-after of the top-level free-agent pitchers. In addition to New York and Boston, he also visited Detroit and Seattle. ``It was a long process, but Carl is comfortable because he turned over every rock, he gathered all the information possible to make a decision,'' Shapiro said.
December 12, 200421 yr So what does their rotation look like now? Mussina Pavano Wright Vazquez Brown
December 12, 200421 yr Pavano had one good year and the Yanks are psyched about that? They’re stupid, IMO. Just like that Loaiza trade. They look at his winning record from a season ago but barely know anything about him. Let’s see how Carl transactions to the American League as well...
December 12, 200421 yr Hmm. I'm actually surprised. Considering his market value, I thought he'd get more like 12-13 Million a year.
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