Pitcher Carl Pavano has spleen removed after accident

Free-agent pitcher Carl Pavano has often been accused of exaggerating injuries to avoid playing during his career. You can’t accuse him of that this time.

Pavano’s spleen was removed last week after the pitcher was injured when he fell in the snow.

The 37-year-old right-hander was hurt in mid-January at his home in Vermont and has been in a Connecticut hospital for nearly two weeks.

“He lost a lot of blood. It was very, very serious,” agent David Pepe told the Associated Press on Monday.

Pepe said Pavano didn’t think he was seriously injured after the fall but didn’t feel well after a workout a few days later in Connecticut.

“He felt bad enough that he went to the hospital and he ended up getting admitted, and they realized he had a lacerated spleen,” Pepe said. “They tried to control the bleeding. They did all they could to not take it out and, unfortunately, he didn’t stop bleeding and he’s been in the hospital since.”

Pavano spent the last four seasons with the Minnesota Twins, going 2-5 with a 6.00 ERA in 11 starts last year.

He signed a $39.95-million, four-year deal with the New York Yankees before the 2005 season, but then was sidelined by injuries to his shoulder, back, buttocks, elbow and ribs and became a target of criticism for Yankees fans and teammates.

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