Monday’s Bunts and Boots

Now that Carl Pavano has made his first spring training start without incident, the Yankees can take a deep breath—at least for the next four days. The longer that Pavano remains healthy this spring, the more we can expect to hear his name mentioned in trade rumors. The Rockies, Cardinals, and Mariners all talked to the Yankees this winter about Pavano and would presumable be among those interested in revisiting those talks. What do the Yankees want for Pavano? They would take a decent prospect, preferably a young catcher who could give them some protection behind Jorge Posada. If anything happens to Posada, the Yankees could be looking at an ugly combination of Wil Nieves and Todd Pratt behind the plate and would be one step closer to making a phone call to Jim "The King" Leyritz…

Pavano may become more expendable in Yankee minds given the impressive early spring performances of two pitchers in their mid-twenties. Matt DeSalvo and Darrell Rasner have opened eyes this spring, with both right-handers showing life after lost seasons in 2006. DeSalvo, who at one time was considered a solid prospect, changed his mechanics last year (at the Yankees’ request) and struggled so badly that the team dropped him from the 40-man roster. Non-roster catcher Ben Davis says that DeSalvo has shown the best stuff of any Yankee pitcher he’s caught this spring, and yes, that would include super-prospect Philip Hughes. After spending most of 2006 on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder, Rasner is healthy and clearly major league ready for either a bullpen job or as the fifth starter…

Our condolences go out to the family and fans of former Brooklyn Dodger Clem Labine, who died on Friday at the age of 80. A two-time All-Star and a five-time participant in World Series play, Labine was a terrific relief pitcher who provided some of his best pitching as part of the Dodgers’ only World Championship in Brooklyn. In the 1955 World Series, the right-hander pitched in four games, posted an ERA of 2.89, and won his only decision. Labine was also masterful during the regular season, winning 13 games with a tidy ERA of 3.25. Although Labine spent most of his career in the bullpen, some Brooklyn observers felt that he would have thrived as a starter, too. Labine started the sixth game of the 1956 World Series, pitched ten innings, and outlasted the New York Yankees, 1-0. That performance tends to be forgotten since it came one day after Don Larsen threw a perfect game for the Yankees.

With the passing of Labine, only nine Dodgers who participated in the 1955 World Series are still alive. The group includes third baseman Don Zimmer, outfielders Duke Snider and George Shuba, and pitchers Don Newcombe, Johnny Podres, Carl Erskine, Billy Loes, Roger Craig, and Ed Roebuck. A tenth player, Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax, was a member of the Dodgers’ bullpen but did not appear in the ’55 Series…

Another former major leaguer also passed away over the weekend. Gene Oliver, a catcher with the Cubs, Red Sox, Phillies, Cardinals, and both the Atlanta and Milwaukee Braves, died Saturday at the age of 71. He’s best remembered for his performance in 1965, when he hit 21 home runs for Milwaukee, making him one of six Braves to reach 20 home runs that season. The outgoing Oliver was also a backup catcher on the 1969 Cubs, who famously lost the National League East despite leading the division by nine and a half games in early August.