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Source: Brian Cashman mulling wild pitch to bring back Carl Pavano

BY MARK FEINSAND
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Tuesday, November 4th 2008, 1:26 AM

DANA POINT, Calif. - When Carl Pavano walked off the mound on Sept. 25, most people assumed it would be the last time he would ever wear a Yankees uniform.

Not so fast.

Pavano, one of the biggest free-agent busts of all-time, could wind up back with the Bombers this winter as the Yankees look to fill three spots in their starting rotation.

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General manager Brian Cashman, who inked Pavano to a four-year, $39.95 million contract in December 2004, remains a big fan of the oft-injured righthander, according to a source, making a return to the Bronx a realistic possibility for the 32-year-old.

"Cashman has definitely not closed the door on Pavano at all," the source said.

Cashman himself acknowledged that he is open to any and all options this winter, though he wouldn't specifically address Pavano's situation.

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"I'm not ruling anything out," Cashman said. "We have needs, so we'll have to go to the marketplace, be it through free agency or through trades, to fill those needs."

Pavano's agent, Tom O'Connell, was at the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort Monday during the first day of the general manager's meetings to speak with Cashman about Pavano, though the two sides had not gotten together as of early Monday night.

Bringing back Pavano certainly won't be the big move the Yankees are looking to make this winter, but rather one that could help fill in the back end of the rotation.

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CC Sabathia remains the big fish in the free-agent pond, one the Yankees figure to make a huge push to sign in the coming weeks. A published report Monday said the Brewers - who have another 10 days of exclusive negotiating rights with the big lefty - made Sabathia an offer over the weekend, though it is a virtual certainty that he will wait to test the market before signing a new contract.

Two industry sources at the GM meetings believed the Brewers' offer was in the $100 million range over five or six years, but it will likely take at least the $137.5 million and six years that Johan Santana got from the Mets to land Sabathia, the 2007 AL Cy Young winner.

"It's in their hands," Brewers GM Doug Melvin told The Associated Press when asked about Milwaukee's latest offer. "He hasn't really had a chance to talk with other teams."

Greg Genske, who represents Sabathia, arrived at the GM meetings Monday but did not stop to speak with reporters.

Cashman said that as of now, he counts only Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain as certainties in the Yankees' 2009 rotation. Mike Mussina hasn't decided whether he wants to play next season and the Yankees haven't decided whether they want to bring Andy Pettitte back, leaving many questions about the state of the rotation.

"We won't be one and done," Cashman said.

Teams are not permitted to discuss financial terms with free agents on other teams until Nov. 14, though they are allowed to express their interest between now and then. Cashman has reached out to several free agents, though he wouldn't disclose which players or agents he has contacted.

"In some cases, it's pretty obvious," Cashman said.

O'Connell indicated that Pavano's first choice would be to return to the Yankees, a sign that the pitcher wants to prove his doubters wrong after four seasons wrought with injury and ridicule.

"At the end of the day, his first choice would be to come back to New York," O'Connell said. "He feels he has some unfinished business."

Unfortunately for Pavano and the Yankees, that wasn't very often. Pavano made just 26 starts in four years, going 9-8 with a 5.00 ERA. He made 17 starts in 2005 before missing the rest of the year with a bum shoulder, then started just twice in 2006-07 as a result of various injuries to his back, ribs, buttocks and elbow, the last of which resulted in Tommy John surgery, which he had in June 2007.

"His time in New York was difficult because he suffered some injuries that he couldn't control," O'Connell said. "As far as the organization, he loved the organization, the front office was always good to him, the coaching staff, his teammates - everyone. He enjoyed pitching for the Yankees when he was healthy."

Pavano returned from his elbow surgery in August to make seven starts, going 4-2 with a 5.77 ERA. He went five or more innings and allowed three runs or less in four of those outings, though pitchers returning from Tommy John surgery typically return to their previous form in their second season back. "When he's healthy, he can pitch," Cashman said.