Sports

Southington Native Carl Pavano Retires from MLB

Former Blue Knight announced Wednesday he's giving up the game.

Former Southington baseball star and Minnesota Twins pitcher Carl Pavano announced Wednesday that he will not be returning to Major League Baseball in 2014, ending a 14-year career in the big leagues.

In a statement released through his agent, Pavano cited persistent injuries that kept him off the field in 2013 and ended his 2012 season in June.

“I feel that the amount of time lost from my spleen injury, coupled with the recovery from my complications from that injury, preclude me from continuing to compete at my highest level, which is necessary to perform in the Major Leagues,” Pavano said, according to a report by Cash Kruth on MLB.com.

Pavano was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1994 and pitched for the Expos, Marlins, Yankees, Indians and Twins in his Major League career.

Before that, he was the Blue Knight’s star pitcher, leading the team to the state championships in his senior year.

Pavano was also the victim of an extortion attempt two years ago, when a former classmate was charged with threatening to release personal information about the pitcher and harassing family members online.


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