Baseball - Carl Pavano Hit During Live Batting Prac

Injury beset Carl Pavano did not have to ask for directions to a hospital when he injured his left foot recently. The Yankees right hander knew just where to go for an MRI and X-ray in Tampa because he had already visited St Joseph’s Hospital earlier in spring and before.

While pitching in a live batting practice, Pavano was hit on the instep of his left foot by a ball. Pavano said that though there was no bruising or swelling, he was experiencing general tightness in the foot. He further said that he was not alarmed by the hit and had applied cold compress to it a couple of times.

Pavano is known to get injured quite often. He missed the last 1 1/2 season in Major League because of several injuries and this time round he was not worried about the results of the MRI and X-ray. Pavano still has to get the results of the tests and he feels that the tests are just precautionary measures and there is nothing for him to be worried about.

Brian Cashman, Yankees’ general manager, did not address the reporters about Pavano’s injury though he asked the Jason Zillo, Yankees’ spokesman, to inform the reporters that the test results would not be available till March 5, 2007.

Before Pavano got injured, Joe Torre, Yankees’ manager, had planned to let Pavano play in the intrasquad game and now Torre does not know what Pavano’s status would be. Nothing can be planned till the test results come in. Pavano, on the other hand, is optimistic about playing in the intrasquad game. He drew attention to a similar incident in 2005 where he ended up making the next start even after getting hit.