Via Joel Sherman of the NY Post:
There has been previous reporting done that when the Yankees were looking into reuniting with Carl Pavano this offseason that they would involve a third team as a way to avoid losing their first-round draft choice (this was prior to signing Soriano, which did cost that pick).
I have learned that the team was going to be the Diamondbacks, who essentially would have signed Pavano and then traded him to the Yankees for prospects. And that makes sense because the new Arizona GM, Kevin Towers, worked as a special assistant to Yankees GM Brian Cashman last year. One of Towers’ jobs was to assess the Yankees farm system, so he spent a lot of time watching Yankees prospects.
So there you have it. The Yankees were a lot closer to having signed Pavano than most people would be happy with. The truth is, that as much as people would have hated it, it might have been the best thing the Yankees could have done to improve their rotation this offseason (short of sending Jesus Montero and a bunch of other prospects to Kansas City for Zack Greinke, that is).
Even still, I’m happy the Yankees didn’t sign Pavano. Not because he spent four years in the Bronx and didn’t do much at all, but because it is doubtful I could have been able to handle the amount of vitriol that fans would have expressed toward him. It would have made angry Yankees fans even angrier. I’d rather see washed up guys try for one more season of glory while we wait for the prospects.
What do you think? Did the Yankees make a mistake not trying harder to sign Pavano? Or was it the smartest move they’ve made all offseason?
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