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Pavano welcomes fresh startDate: 02.02.2007
Posted by: Anabolic Info Team United States
Injury-ravaged right-hander lauds offseason workout program
NEW YORK -- Carl Pavano spent a good portion of his winter in the Arizona desert, working out on strange new machines and strengthening his core in preparation for what the right-hander hopes will be a comeback season.
If the 31-year-old Pavano does return to pitch well for the Yankees, perhaps the Fischer Sports complex in Phoenix -- which Pavano credits for getting him back on track to health -- should be credited with an assist.
"This place is basically going to turn my year around, as far as I'm concerned," Pavano said on a conference call Friday.
It has been a long, injury-muddled road for Pavano. A four-year contract signed with the Yankees after the 2004 season has yielded just 17 big-league starts and four victories, none of which came last year.
Having last pitched in the Majors on June 27, 2005, Pavano appeared as though he might rejoin the Yankees last August, but the hurler broke two ribs in a Florida traffic accident that totaled his 2006 Porsche.
Realizing that he can't turn back time, Pavano said he is focused on reporting to Spring Training with the Yankees and fulfilling the organization's need for a solid, reliable starting pitcher.
"It would be nice to go out and have a good year, a solid year, and feel good about myself," Pavano said. "I've spent the last few years waking up every day hoping my body feels better, and that I'd be able to pitch and put things behind me. That hasn't been the case."
Pavano's intensive 10-week program of four to five hours per day began in October and was completed under the supervision of trainer Brett Fischer. Numerous Major Leaguers like Kerry Wood, Mike Hampton, Randy Johnson, Eric Gagne and Kevin Millar use Fischer's facilities, where Pavano was welcomed with open arms by the fraternity.
"They encouraged him," Fischer said in a telephone interview. "Millar knew him from the Marlins and went over and hugged him. He said, 'Hey, this is the place to be. Just get to work and forget about the past.'
"[Pavano] really did that. He was here longer than anybody every day, and did a lot of extra hands-on work for about 4 1 hours daily. To his credit, he never backed down one bit."
A previous back injury created restrictions in Pavano's hip, preventing his trunk from rotating. Pavano said his winter efforts went light on bodybuilding and focused mainly on core exercises -- flexibility, range of motion, and plenty of stretching.
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"He had so much tightness in his ribcage and lumbar area," Fischer said. "I don't know if it was because of the accident, but I had to do a lot of deep-tissue work that we don't usually need to do. I think [because] he totaled his car and broke a couple of ribs, it was a pretty severe accident.
"That's why we had to get sweaty and get in there. There were times he was just squealing in pain."
In one exercise, Pavano would be on a mound with a medicine ball, doing lunges with weights; in another, he'd be utilizing a pulley system to replicate his pitching motion. It was a long way from the iron-pumping workouts that Pavano used to favor.
"The workouts are some things that I've never done before," Pavano said. "The machines [Fischer] has, I haven't even seen. They're not common machines. They're machines that a lot of track athletes use who rely on core strength and hip flexibility to produce power in their legs."
Pavano said that the program can come with him to Yankee Stadium.
"This workout is going to follow me for the rest of my career and through the season," Pavano said. "This stuff isn't something that I can only do during the offseason, because it's too taxing."
Pavano threw his third bullpen of the spring on Friday and said that, so far, he feels on schedule. But when Pavano walks into the Legends Field complex, he acknowledges he may have some questions to answer.
A face-to-face meeting with GM Brian Cashman to discuss Pavano's actions following the traffic accident is planned, and earlier this week, Mike Mussina said that Pavano will have to "earn some trust" from Yankees players, coaches and manager Joe Torre before he can become an asset to the organization.
Pavano said he welcomed Mussina's assessment.
"I couldn't have really said it better myself," Pavano said. "I understand the position I put myself into with the things that have happened over the last couple of years, and I understand the importance of having a team behind you that trusts you. Every fifth day, it's going to be my job to earn us a win, so I definitely want the guys behind me."
Pavano said he has not spoken to Torre over the winter, and plans to have a conversation with pitching coach Ron Guidry to update the pitching coach on his winter workouts. Pavano has touched base with bullpen coach Joe Kerrigan, however, and is confident he can be a useful part of the 2007 Yankees.
"I know I can pitch," Pavano said. "I know I can get big league hitters out. I've had success over the years. I don't see why I can't step it up and be a big asset to the Yankees rotation." |
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