YANKEE NOTES
Carl Pavano returned to the Yankees’ clubhouse yesterday. Don’t expect him to return to the Yankees’ rotation a la Chien-Ming Wang or Jaret Wright.
Pavano, on the DL with right shoulder tendinitis, has rejoined the team for this homestand. But the 29-year-old righty doubted he’d be able to pitch again.
“The protocol is six or seven weeks [of rest],” Pavano said before last night’s 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay. “That only leaves a week.
“It’s not a situation where we’re gonna rush back. I think we’re just trying to commit ourselves to this protocol to get healthy and we just move from there.”
Is it possible he could pitch in the postseason?
“I don’t think it’s fair to all the guys who have been here all year battling for me to take up a spot,” he responded. “I don’t think that’s a possibility at all.”
For the moment, Pavano is only doing cardiovascular and strengthening exercises. He hasn’t pitched since June 27. He was shut down on Aug. 10 for a minimum of six weeks.
“He’s had a very frustrating year,” Joe Torre said. “I know he feels sort of funny walking in here.
“We obviously signed him for a very important part of what we’re trying to accomplish, and he wasn’t able to do it.
“He certainly feels badly about that. Hopefully just being around will help him somewhat.”
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Lou Piniella was asked yesterday afternoon if he’d ever consider returning to the place where he started his managerial career.
“I’m here [with Tampa Bay] and I don’t know what the future is going to bring, one way or another,” Piniella said, doing his best bob-and-weave. “So I’m not into speculation, or even talking about it.”
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Yankee president Randy Levine, COO Lonn Trost and outfielder Matt Lawton represented the team before the game for a $1 million on-field presentation to the Salvation Army for its relief effort in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Lawton, who was acquired from the Cubs on Aug. 17, resides in Gulfport, Miss. Eight of his family members, including his parents and brother, Marcus (who played for the Yankees in 1989), have been displaced by the storm.
As part of the Yankees’ hurricane-relief fundraising efforts, representatives of the Salvation Army will be stationed outside each of Yankee Stadium’s entrances as well as at all customer-service locations inside the stadium throughout the team’s current six-game homestand.
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Alex Rodriguez was named the AL’s Player of the Month. In 29 games, he batted .324 (34 for 105) with 12 homers and 24 RBIs.
He is launching his own website at http://www.AROD.com and will host a live chat tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. on the site.
Before the game, the Yankees recalled Felix Escalona, Scott Proctor and Andy Phillips and purchased the contract of outfielder Mike Vento.
To make room for Vento on the 40-man roster, the club designated righty Sam Marsonek for assignment.
