Ludicrously Tragic

• Or tragically ludicrous:

Or both.

Or it could be simply described as "campy".

Think about this: after Cliff Lee, the next biggest free agent pitching name is Carl Pavano.

Carl....Pavano.

And because of this, Pavano----AKA "American Idle", quite possibly the worst free agent signing in the history of baseball----is poised to get another contract for between $20 million and $30 million (or maybe a bit more).

In an ordinary year, a pitcher like Pavano----who won 17 games and pitched well despite a poor strikeout rate; was a durable leader on the AL Central Division winning Twins----would easily command a multi-year deal; but Pavano has that deserved reputation as a disinterested malingerer shadowing him; he'll never escape the perception that he took the Yankees money and decided he didn't want to play. Because of that, teams are understandably hesitant about him.

The Brewers have serious interest in Pavano as do the Twins and Nationals, but that hovering chimera of his behavior with the Yankees is going to cost him a lot of money. At the age of 35 and coming off 17 wins, what could a pitcher not named Carl Pavano get on the open market? Presumably, he'd be able to command something similar to the 3-year, $33 million contract that Ted Lilly got from the Dodgers.

Will Pavano be able to ask for that money now? Money that's not so far off from the 4-year, $40 million disaster that he was with the Yankees?

I've said all along that the more interesting free agent case this winter isn't Cliff Lee----Lee's going to go where he goes when he goes there----but what happens with the "next best thing", Carl Pavano?

Has Pavano learned his lesson?

Is he more mature now?

Will he handle a smaller market like Milwaukee, Minnesota or Washington better than he did New York?

Or is he going to go through a similar bout of mental anguish and questionable desire that demolished any hope he and the Yankees had of a successful partnership?

It's eerie in its Twilight Zone-style irony that Pavano is in almost the exact same circumstances he was in 2004's first foray into free agency; he was coming off a big year (18 wins) and he was one of the hot free agent commodities; the biggest differences are his age and reputation. But the money is there and he's in position to get another boatload.

I wouldn't touch Carl Pavano on anything more than a 1-year deal and it has nothing to do with his poor strikeout rate; it has to do with the questions surrounding how he'd react to another lucrative, long-term contract.

But someone will pay him; they're going to pay him a lot of money; and once they unwrap the package will they know which Pavano they're getting----the one who wants to pitch, or the one that doesn't.

• Viewer Mail 12.11.2010:

Jeff (Street Boss) at Red State Blue State writes RE the Mets and the Royals:

Hope Jimmy Rollins gets the memo that the Mets won't be bullied. Actually, on second thought, I'd love for him to talk some more smack in spring training like he normally does... but only if someone is willing to knock his teeth out at some point.

Following up on the Royals, last year it was Farnsworth and Ankiel... this year Melky and Frenchy... I don't get it either. The team has a death wish.

One would hope that the new Mets regime will specifically let the players know that it's okay to push back against Rollins and the Phillies.

I'll have some stuff to say about the Royals tomorrow.

Gabriel (Capo) writes RE the Royals and Pirates:

They should banish the Royals and the Pirates and return to 14 teams on each league.

Hmmmmm.....relegation? I'll think about it.

Jane Heller at Confessions of a She-Fan writes RE Ricky Nolasco:

Who is Ricky Nolasco?

He's a righty for the Marlins who may or may not be available; I'd think the Marlins would be willing to move him; he's a good pitcher.

I also received two anonymous comments. You can read them here----link.

I am not publishing anonymous comments. It's frustrating when they're reasonably intelligent, but that's the policy. You don't even have to leave your name; leave a name.

• Linking the Prince:

Much like the shout-out I got from the Diamondbacks booth after my posting about Edwin Jackson's no-hitter in the summer----Daron Sutton and Mark Grace read a large portion of it on-air----I received another boost from Bob's Blitz yesterday----here----for my posting about Mike Francesa's declining influence.

I'm kickin' at the door, man!!

• The Prince on the Podcast:

I was on with SportsFan Buzz on Wednesday talking about the Red Sox; Cliff Lee; Carl Crawford; Jayson Werth; the Yankees; the McCourts; Zack Greinke; and the ESPN broadcasters.

I'll be on again with Sal next week.

Get the link directly here----The SportsFan Buzz: December 8, 2010----or on I-Tunes; you can go to Sal's Twitter feed and site as well.