"Never did I wake up and say, 'This stinks,' or 'I'm so unlucky.' Even when I went through that, I felt like I was lucky to get traded for Pedro Martinez. I was lucky enough to play in the big leagues. I was lucky enough to put on a uniform every day. I was lucky enough to give up the seventieth home run to Mark McGwire." - Carl Pavano in The Miami Herald (February 28, 2004)

Born in New Britain, Connecticut, Carl Anthony Pavano is a former right-handed sinkerballer pitcher who played from 1998 to 2012 for the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, and Minnesota Twins. He was a member of the 2003 World Series champions and appeared in the 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

He signed with the Yankees in 2005, where he became known for his frequent injuries during his four years with the team prompting teammate and Hall of Famer Mike Mussina to say that Pavano needed to prove that he wanted to pitch for the team. Mussina said he did not believe he was the only Yankee who felt this way. "It didn't look good from a player's and teammate's standpoint," Mussina said of Pavano's injuries. "Was everything just coincidence? Over and over again? I don't know." Manager Joe Torre explained that the amount of work Pavano needed to do in repairing his clubhouse image was "sizable." His tenure with the Yankees was considered a bust by most.

After his retirement, Pavano served as an analyst for Fox Sports Florida for Miami Marlins pre and postgame shows starting with the 2014 season.

(excerpted from Baseball Almanac, BR Bullpen, and Wikipedia)