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The Yankees may finally see Carl Pavano return to the mound this weekend -- is it too late?

YANKEES NOT DEAD … YET

By Steve Phillips, ESPN

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BASEBALL

• Angels at Rays, 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN

I was a little surprised last week when Hank Steinbrenner started talking about next season. I found the comments in sharp contrast to the attitude of Drayton McLane and the Astros, who were buyers at the trade deadline despite being seven games under .500. They got Randy Wolf in a trade and picked up LaTroy Hawkins. Even now, they're talking like they're in it, and they're 7½ games out of the wild card.

Steinbrenner made it seem like injuries were to blame for the Yankees' fate. Yet, when you look at it closer, the Yankees have used the disabled list 21 times this year, but so have the Mets -- and they are in first place. The Rays have used the disabled list 20 times, and they've lost Carlos Pena for a period of time, plus Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford and Troy Percival. Yet Tampa Bay is still in first place. So other teams have had injuries, too. Look at all the injuries the Cardinals have endured this year, and they're still in the race.

I don't think George Steinbrenner would have spoken the same way. Actually, I don't think the Yankees are completely out of the race yet. It will be very difficult for them to catch Boston, Tampa or the other teams in the wild-card race, like the White Sox and Twins. (The Yankees are 11 games back in the AL East and 6½ games back in the wild card.)

What went wrong this year? Pitching depth has been a question all season long for the Yankees, but their offense has been even more disappointing. They were thought to still have a dynamic offensive, but they have not been the team that most people expected. I think coming into the year, they knew they had some pitching issues and their depth wasn't great. I give a lot of credit to manager Joe Girardi and the Yankees players for continuing to battle. It's slim, but they've kept themselves in a position to still have a shot. Considering everything that has happened and the roster they've been dealing with, I think Girardi has done a pretty good job.

Carl Pavano looks like he is finally coming back, and while he might still have a chance to become a contributor, it's a sign of how bad things have gotten that a guy who hasn't given the Yankees anything in four years is now perhaps their biggest hope down the stretch. General manager Brian Cashman stuck to his guns and refused to give up their best prospects. I think they still believe they made the right decision in not seriously pursuing Johan Santana in the offseason. I understand that logic, but I still would have pursued Santana. I'd rather have a veteran because young prospects sometimes get you fired. Waiting for young guys to figure it out, especially in large markets where winning is the norm, can be dangerous. But the Yankees had reasonable logic for not trading for Santana, because the fallback can be CC Sabathia, who will be a free agent after this season. I expect the Yankees to be a big player for him, and Steinbrenner alluded to that in his recent comments, saying if they needed to get a front-line starter they're committed to doing that.

They haven't gotten much production from their young pitchers this year; plus, Melky Cabrera has taken a step back, as has Robinson Cano. They lost their ace in Chien-Ming Wang. They haven't gotten a typical year from Derek Jeter. Hideki Matsui has been injured for much of the season. They've had bullpen issues since Joba Chamberlain moved into the rotation.

A lot has to happen if the Yankees have any hope of making a run at the playoffs this year. They're going to need Joba back and they're going to need Pavano to come up big (or Phil Hughes, if they decide to go that route). They're going to need Andy Pettitte to be unbeatable down the stretch, and Mike Mussina to be as good as he's been all season long. On top of all that, they need the offense to come around. They've got to have a lot go right that hasn't been going right, but they have great character and it's still possible. I think it's too early to say they're completely dead, although they're getting close to that point.

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NAME	HR	OPP	PITCHER	SITUATION
W. Harris, Was	10	Phi	Blanton	Top 1: 0-1, 1 Outs. None on.
V. Guerrero, LAA	23	TB	Shields	Top 2: 2-1, 0 Outs. None on.
S. Choo, Cle	5	KC	Hochevar	Bot 2: 0-0, 1 Outs. None on.
J. Varitek, Bos	10	Bal	Cabrera	Top 2: 3-1, 0 Outs. None on.
R. Garko, Cle	10	KC	Hochevar	Bot 4: 0-1, 0 Outs. None on.
K. Suzuki, Oak	7	Min	Slowey	Top 2: 0-0, 0 Outs. None on.
B. Buscher, Min	4	Oak	Gallagher	Bot 2: 0-2, 1 Outs. 1 on.
K. Youkilis, Bos	24	Bal	Cabrera	Top 5: 1-1, 1 Outs. 1 on.
A. Lind, Tor	9	NYY	Rasner	Bot 7: 3-2, 1 Outs. None on.
G. Sizemore, Cle	28	KC	Nunez	Bot 6: 0-0, 2 Outs. 2 on.
M. Joyce, Det	11	Tex	Padilla	Top 5: 0-1, 0 Outs. None on.
N. Swisher, CWS	19	Sea	Hernandez	Bot 4: 3-2, 0 Outs. None on.
J. Werth, Phi	17	Was	Shell	Bot 8: 1-2, 1 Outs. None on.
J. Thome, CWS	26	Sea	Hernandez	Bot 5: 1-1, 0 Outs. None on.
G. Blum, Hou	12	Mil	Sheets	Top 6: 1-2, 2 Outs. 2 on.
C. Davis, Tex	12	Det	Galarraga	Bot 6: 1-2, 2 Outs. 2 on.
C. Gomez, Min	6	Oak	Gallagher	Bot 5: 0-0, 2 Outs. 1 on.
M. Joyce, Det	12	Tex	Padilla	Top 7: 1-2, 0 Outs. 2 on.
E. Renteria, Det	7	Tex	Padilla	Top 7: 2-1, 0 Outs. None on.
A. Dunn, Ari	33	SD	Banks	Bot 4: 1-2, 2 Outs. 1 on.
B. Hawpe, Col	22	LAD	Kuroda	Top 3: 0-0, 1 Outs. 1 on.
J. Cantu, Fla	22	SF	Hinshaw	Top 6: 2-0, 0 Outs. None on.