The Yankees have been heavily criticized by the sabermetric community this winter for signing Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright. But alas, Ken Rosenthal thinks that Pavano and Wright are the key to their season. Not only that, but as much as it may pain him, Rosenthal is picking the Bronx Bombers to win it all. Go figure.
Wednesday
December 18, 2024
Since 2002
"This ain't football. We do this every day."
--Earl Weaver
--Earl Weaver
1. He's right that they're the key. Whether or not that's a positive or a negative, I can't tell you for certain right now.
2. If the Pavano signing has been "criticized by the sabermetric community," how do they reconcile the the strong interest the sabermetric Red Sox had in him?
3. Hometown boy . . . former prospect made good . . . lose Pedro get Pavano back. There are a lot of storylines there that make the Red Sox interest make sense. But I think the real issue with the Pavano signing is not him but his contract. I don't think the Sox would have given him four years plus an option, especially not at that price. That's the issue. Wright is an issue because he's Jaret Wright. Pavano is an issue because of his contract.
4. Cliff, the rumor I heard from Gammons at the time was that Pavano chose the Yanks for less money at the same amount of years. I heard this in an interview he was having with the Boston sports station WEEI. The Sox, like the Yanks, seem willing to overpay on risks (Renteria) and for sentimental reasons (Varitek). What seems to separate them from the Yanks right now is the small detail work.
5. There's nothing wrong with Pavano that a sane contract wouldn't have fixed. Saber types are big on value-per-dollar. There's nothing wrong with Pavano from a sabermetric viewpoint that a smaller contract can't fix.