the Most Hated Man In The Bronx

It was four years of hell.

In the winter of 2004, the New York Yankees were in desperate need of solid pitching. Following a humiliating collapse in the 2004 ALCS against the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees’ front office was under immense pressure to bolster their rotation. Enter Carl Pavano, a pitcher who had just come off a stellar season with the Florida Marlins, where he posted an 18-8 record with a 3.00 ERA and helped his team clinch the World Series in 2003. Yankees fans saw Pavano as the potential savior of their beleaguered pitching staff, and the Yankees, eager to make a splash, signed him to a four-year, $39.95 million contract on December 20, 2004.

The excitement surrounding Pavano’s arrival quickly turned to disappointment. In his first season with the Yankees in 2005, Pavano struggled to find his form. He started 17 games, managing a mediocre 4-6 record with a 4.77 ERA. Pavano’s season was cut short due to shoulder inflammation, and he was placed on the disabled list in late June, missing the remainder of the season.  The following seasons saw Pavano’s tenure with the Yankees devolve into a running joke. In 2006, he didn’t pitch a single game due to various injuries, including a bruised buttock, broken ribs from a car accident he failed to report immediately, and recurring elbow pain. Yankees fans were beginning to see Pavano as the embodiment of wasted money and unmet expectations. His reputation was further tarnished by reports of him being unwilling to play through pain, earning him the derisive nickname “American Idle” from fans and media alike.

In 2007, Pavano made a brief return to the mound, starting the season as part of the Yankees’ rotation. However, his comeback was short-lived. After only two starts, Pavano was once again sidelined, this time requiring Tommy John surgery, effectively ending his season. His two starts were unimpressive, and his continued absence fueled further resentment among the Yankees faithful.

Pavano’s 2008 season was a last-ditch effort to redeem himself. He managed to pitch in seven games, achieving a 4-2 record with a 5.77 ERA. While there were fleeting moments of competence, it was clear that Pavano’s time in New York was coming to an end. His best performance for the Yankees arguably came on August 23, 2008, when he pitched five innings and allowed only three hits in a win against the Baltimore Orioles. However, this isolated moment of success did little to erase the memories of his injury-plagued tenure.

Carl Pavano’s contract mercifully expired after the 2008 season, and the Yankees did not pursue re-signing him. His departure was met with a collective sigh of relief from Yankees fans, who viewed his signing as one of the most regrettable moves in recent memory. Pavano finished his Yankees career with a 9-8 record and a 5.00 ERA over four seasons, having pitched in only 26 games.

Yankees fans’ disdain for Pavano was palpable. The New York Post famously dubbed him “The Most Hated Man in the Bronx” due to his inability to stay healthy and contribute to the team’s success. Pavano’s legacy with the Yankees is one of unfulfilled potential and constant frustration. Despite his promising start, his time in New York is remembered as a cautionary tale of high expectations and disastrous outcomes.

Carl Pavano’s tenure with the Yankees is a stark reminder that not all high-profile signings lead to success. His story is often cited when discussing the pitfalls of investing heavily in players with a history of injuries, making it a lesson that resonates with Yankees fans to this day.

–Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor