From Andrew Marchand (ESPN):

Carl Pavano didn’t pitch much for Joe Torre in his four years with the Yankees, but he has fired some tongue-and-cheek heat at his former manager over “The Yankees Years.”

In the book that Torre teamed with Sports Illustrated Tom Verducci to write, Torre says that Pavano’s Yankee teammates “hated” him, Pavano was “skittish to talk to and that Pavano was even rude to his mother.

“I am extremely disappointed that someone I had a lot of respect for would make these type of comments in his upcoming book,” said Pavano, in a statement released to 1050 ESPN New York through his agent, Tom O’Connell. “I wish nothing but the best for Joe Torre and my former Yankee teammates, but with that said it does explain why I haven’t received any Christmas cards from Joe the last few years.”

In the Yankees Years, Torre is quoted directly saying, “The players all hated [Pavano.] It was no secret.”

Torre said that Pavano had no sense of responsibility and was “always a little skittish” when you spoke to him. Finally, Torre and Verducci relayed a story when Pavano first joined the Yankees. His mother showed up to the Stadium with an “NY” painted on her face. Pavano, according to the book, said, “Get that crap off your face. You’re embarrassing me.”

How did this guy ever scoop Alyssa Milano? Then again, her track record with baseball players has always been rather suspect…

(props to RAB)