Carl Pavano, the oft-injured pitcher for the New York Yankees, is returning to the mound. Since the 2005 baseball season, Pavano has only pitched two games for the Yankees. His start on Sunday will be his first game of the 2008 season.

Pavano has suffered a myriad of injuries throughout his time on the Yankees. Those injuries include injuries to his back, shoulder, ribs, elbow and buttocks. Yes, he has literally been a pain in the rear for Yankees fans … especially considering he signed a $40 million deal prior to the 2005 season. To date, he has only been able to appear in 19 games for New York, which has helped him earn the “American Idle” nickname.

Pavano earned his big contract after going 18-8 for the Florida Marlins in 2004. He had a 3.00 ERA and was one of the big free agents on the open market after the season. He cashed in with the Yankees and since signing his contract, he hasn’t done much else.

The Yankees desperately need Pavano to pitch well. They are currently 10.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL West and six games back of the Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card.

Can he do it or will Pavano go down with yet another injury? I guess we will find out.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: Knuckle Curve