Considering Carl Pavano missed almost a year with injuries that didn’t require surgery, it’s hard to believe that he will bounce back quickly from an operation to remove a chip from above his right elbow.
Results of an MRI taken Thursday revealed a chip that needs to come out. According to GM Brian Cashman, Pavano has an appointment with Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. on Monday and could have the operation the following day.
Reliever Tanyon Sturtze is slated to be operated on by Andrews on Tuesday to correct a rotator cuff tear.
“Typically, it’s six weeks until they start throwing again if there are no problems,” Cashman said of hurlers who have chips extracted. “Is [Pavano’s] season over? No. But obviously it’s a significant setback.”
Pavano underwent a similar operation on Aug. 22, 2000 and didn’t return to the big leagues until the following Aug. 15.
According to Joe Torre, nobody will know the extent of Pavano’s problem until Andrews examines the $40 million body that has been battered and broken since the day the 30-year-old arrived at spring training of 2005.
Pavano hasn’t appeared in a big league game since last June 27 when he was diagnosed with tendinitis in his right shoulder. He was behind the other pitchers at the start of camp due to a bad back and suffered a bruised buttock during his first exhibition game. This past Wednesday, he cut short a minor league rehab appearance in Trenton after nine pitches because of an uneasy feeling in the arm.
Having seen Pavano throw in a St. Petersburg bullpen two weeks ago, Torre started to think about adding the righty to his rotation at some point.
“His stuff was electric,” Torre said.
Now? Who knows?