Carl Pavano claims the shoveling accident that led to him having his spleen removed earlier this offseason was nearly fatal.

"I'm just lucky to be alive," Pavano said.

He didn't think he was seriously hurt when he fell at his Vermont home in mid-January.

However, Pavano visited three hospital before finally having his spleen removed on January 19. At one point, Pavano said doctors, who removed 6½ liters of blood from his chest cavity, told him he was living on "borrowed time."

"I was hours away from going into cardiac arrest and probably wouldn't even be here," Pavano said.