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March 24, 2007

For Openers...

Via Yankees.com -

Manager Joe Torre said that the Yankees will select from a group including Carl Pavano, Kei Igawa and Jeff Karstens to throw the season's first pitch on April 2.

No way will it be Karstens. You don't throw a kid out there on a crazy media/fan day like that. Pavano? Part of me wants to say that he should not get the nod/honor - just because of what he's pulled the last two years. But, the other part of me wants to say they should give it to him - as a test to see how he handles it.

Since I'm split on Pavano, in the end, I guess I would go with Kei Igawa. Let's see if he has some Yankee Stadium Opening Day/Debut magic like Matsui (had in 2003).

Posted by Steve Lombardi at March 24, 2007 11:34 PM

Comments

http://www.waswatching.com/archives/CampQ.html

remember this Steve? :P your psycic


Posted by: Yu Hsing Chen [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 24, 2007 11:48 PM

LOL - - 93% thought it could never happen!

Posted by: Steve Lombardi [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 24, 2007 11:53 PM

I'm big on symbolism. No way do you let Eggplant Parmapavano (a guy who, in addition to all his baggage, may or may not be playing with the Yanks come May) get the honors of pitching opening day at The Stadium. Karstens? Not ready - not just yet. Igawa? Perhaps, but I think it's asking a bit much of him, for his first game of American baseball, to be starting at Yankee Stadium.

I guess that leaves Gator and pray for rain.

Posted by: brockdc [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 25, 2007 02:17 AM

I think it's clear it has to be Pavano. Karstens does not have enough ML experience, and speaking of which, Igawa has never thrown a pitch in the MLs. At least Pavano has started a WS game at Yankee Stadium and has some prospect of being able to handle the ceremony, the introductions, the additional media, and the additional delays to his pre-game preparation.

Posted by: yankees76 [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 25, 2007 11:50 AM

It'll be Pavano, he'll then strain his hammy walking out to the mound, necessitating Scott Proctor making the start. He'll pitch 10 shutout innings for the W.

Posted by: rbj [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 25, 2007 01:03 PM

Seriously, it's time to end the Pavano-will-break-his-arm-cashing-his-check jokes -- they were never all that funny to begin with, and now it's just so, so, so old.

This isn't some honor being bestowed on Pavano -- it's simply a forced situation.

Pavano will start opening day... against the Devil Rays. Surely we will remember it forever.

Posted by: baileywalk [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 25, 2007 01:35 PM

Pavano starting opening day really isn't that big a deal.

Posted by: Raf [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 25, 2007 03:56 PM