Steve Gilliard, 1964-2007

It is with tremendous sadness that we must convey the news that Steve Gilliard, editor and publisher of The News Blog, passed away June 2, 2007. He was 42.

To those who have come to trust The News Blog and its insightful, brash and unapologetic editorial tone, we have Steve to thank from the bottom of our hearts. Steve helped lead many discussions that mattered to all of us, and he tackled subjects and interest categories where others feared to tread.

Please keep Steve's friends and family in your thoughts and prayers.

Steve meant so much to us.

We will miss him terribly.

Gutless, loser Yankee

TAMPA - Long before he throws a meaningful pitch this season, Mike Mussina did the Yankees a great service yesterday. Somebody had to make it clear to Carl Pavano that his teammates think he quit on them last year.

That someone of Mussina's status did so with a scathing commentary should provide the ultimate challenge for Pavano if he has any professional pride, if he cares about regaining respect in his own clubhouse.

Indeed, if Mussina helps brings out the best in Pavano, then maybe the Yankees have a better and deeper starting rotation than it seems at the moment. If not, well, it only confirms the worst of what so many Yankees think of the guy who has been a $40 million bust.

We'll see. Yesterday seemed to be a start in the right direction, when Pavano threw in the bullpen together with the four other projected starters - an annual group session held on the first day of spring training - and managed not to hurt himself.

But then Pavano quickly made a mess of his day by opening his mouth and essentially saying he didn't believe that his two-year disappearing act had made him an outcast in the Yankee clubhouse. He went so far as to say that his credibility with his teammates was an issue only because the media made it so.

"I thought it was more hyped by you guys than anything else," Pavano said coldly to reporters. "You guys were having fun with it."

In other words, he didn't get it.

At which point Mussina decided enough was enough. Informed of the remarks, Mussina sat at his corner locker and said exactly where Pavano stood with him and other Yankee players. In doing so he openly questioned the righthander's desire and essentially accused him of either faking injuries or not being tough enough to pitch through them.

"When one guy is out there playing through (injuries) and another is not," Mussina said, "that's how teammates get a bad taste in their mouth. As another starting pitcher who hasn't been 100% the last two years, I know what it takes to go out there and pitch, and I know when you can't. After 15 years, I know where that line is."

In other words, Pavano was considered suspect from the minute he was sidelined with a "bruised buttocks" last spring. But what doomed him with teammates was not only the succession of injuries last year, but the fact that something new seemed to develop each time he would get close to rejoining the Yankees.

Labels: New York city, Yankee scum