Cesar Tordesillas

Free-agent pitcher Carl Pavano hurt his chances of landing a job when he suffered a ruptured spleen after slipping while shoveling snow in his driveway at his home in Vermont.

The 37-year-old Pavano doesn't need surgery but requires six to eight weeks of rest for the injury to completely heal, according to a report by FoxSports.com.

Before the injury, Pavano has been talking to the New York Mets and Colorado Rockies about possible openings in their respective starting rotations.

He last pitched for the Minnesota Twins since middle of 2009. However, a right shoulder injury limited him to 11 games, going 2-5 with a 6.00 ERA.

Pavano is not new to strange injuries. While playing for the New York Yankees in 2006, he landed on the disabled list after bruising his buttocks in a Spring Training game.

He also suffered two broken ribs in an automobile accident later that season, an incident he originally didn't tell the team about.

The last injury sidelined Pavano for most part of his stint with the Yankees, earning him the title "American Idle" from fans and media.

In 13 seasons, Pavano tallied a 108-107 record with a 4.39 ERA. He played for the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Twins.

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Pitcher Carl Pavano Ruptures Spleen in Snow Shoveling Accident