The New York Daily News gives us this blind item:
Which formerly awesome Major League pitcher can the blame loss of shoulder strength on years of smoking pot and one drug-addled incident where he had to carry a passed-out date up three flights of stairs? His fastball hasn't been the same since.
Any guesses?



Curt Schilling?
Posted by: John - YF | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 10:41 AM
ha!
Posted by: SF | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Now the only question is was he carrying Mystique or Aura up those 3 flights of stairs?
Posted by: John - YF | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 11:24 AM
David Wells?
Posted by: rootbeerfloat | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Gagne?
Posted by: Devine | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Pedro?
Posted by: Paul SF | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Kerry Wood or Mark Prior? I'd say Zito but he never had a fastball, right?
Posted by: SF | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Pavano!
Posted by: kelly | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Eh, Prior and Wood weren't that "awesome"...
Still, it's a gossip column, who is to say that the person writing knows anything about baseball. Carl Pavano was awesome for a year, right?!
Posted by: SF | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Jason Schmidt.
Posted by: walein | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 12:56 PM
or Wavy Gravy
Posted by: walein | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 12:57 PM
It's got to be Barry Zito...he fits the profile that's for sure
Posted by: 1Bosox | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 01:03 PM
I don't know who the pitcher was, but the passed-out date was definitely Alyssa Milano.
Posted by: FenSheaParkway | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 01:04 PM
Gotta be Carl "Waste of Life" Pavano...
Posted by: krueg | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 01:17 PM
mmmm. Alyssa.
Posted by: Brad | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 01:17 PM
How could that be anyone but Zito?
Posted by: Jackie (SF) | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 02:27 PM
Zito never really had a strong fastball, did he? From one pot-smoking, guitar player to another...Zito definitely fits that part of the story!!
Posted by: krueg | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 02:39 PM
Zito has lost life on his fastball, and the story doesn't say his fastball was ever great. But it certainly isn't the same.
Posted by: Paul SF | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 04:04 PM
Jeff Weaver.
Oh wait, it said awesome, not awful. Nevermind then.
Posted by: yankeemonkey | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 04:13 PM
the date was Martin Lawrence and he was dehydrated. The pitcher: John Halama.
Posted by: Nick-YF | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 04:34 PM
Tavarez DFA! To make room for Casey.
HT Joy of Sox.
...do we have a long man now?
Posted by: Devine | Monday, May 12, 2008 at 04:56 PM
Since it's an NYC paper, I'm going to assume it's someone who either is now on the Yankees or Mets rosters, or was until relatively recently... Pedro or Pavano seem like reasonable guesses.
Posted by: | Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 01:23 AM
Pedro a "reasonable guess"? Seriously? On what basis? He got old. He got injured. Nothing indicates drug use, either past performance or health issues.
Posted by: SF | Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 10:12 AM