Carl Pavano and the Twins are expected to have a two-year deal by the middle of this week. It could be delayed a day or two by the team's arbitration distraction (Tuesday is the day figures are exchanged by all teams and players), but baseball people read no negative inference into the fact the talks have taken awhile. The Pirates in particular have made a run at Pavano, but the Twins' advantage is that they are a contending team where Pavano could be the ace and they are also the team that provided a comfortable environment for the pitcher to thrive in the last two seasons.