Pedro Martinez, the embattled Mets righty ace pitcher is inching closer to a return to the majors.
Since having rotator cuff surgery on Octocer 5th of last year, Martinez has since limted action, pitching in just four minor league games. As a mid-September return to Flushing draws more evident, Pedro, along with Mets fans see the silver lining to once was a very dark cloud.
Since signing Martinez to a high-dollar contract in 2004 4yr, 54mil,) fans and management have seen Pedro on the mound far less than they had hoped. In games Martinez has pitched the Mets have looked like a different team, with far more fire and drive to succeed. The signing of Martinez has boosted Mets attendence and unlitmately lead to the signings of Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado. Since becoming a Met Martinez has posted a 24-16 record with a 3.45 ERA; pitching effectively in a limted number of outings.
Martinez looked sharp in his latest rehab outing for the Class-A Port St. Lucie Mets, pitching 6 innings, while giving up just one un-earned run, and striking out four. Martinez will again pitch Saturday, making his last rehab outing (for either Class-A Brooklyn or AA Binghamton) before joining the MLB Mets on August 8th or 9th against the Houston Astros at Shea Studium.
Martinez has 205 wins and is just two strikeouts from career number 3,000; a milestone that many pitchers strive for, but only few ever reach. Only time will tell if Martinez can come back and resume his position as one of the most dominate pitchers of this era; or has time and injuries finally caught up to the 35 year-old righty that is most known for the dazzling movement on all his pitches. The key(s) for Martinez on Saturday will be to get command on all of his pitches and to feeling continually comfortable on the mound after this devestating injury that sidelined him for almost a year.
The Mets are counting on Martinez to anchor a pitching staff that is full of vetern (the age-less wonders Orlando Hernandez and 300-game winner Tom Glavine,) youthful inexperience (John Maine and Oliver Perez have pitched well, but have struggled down the stretch,) and tiring arms (mainly Heilman, Mota, and Sosa out of the bullpen.) Now, just three games up on the rival Phillies in the NL East, Mets management is hoping Martinez is the guy that can spark them into October and beyond. . . .
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6 comments:
Keith,
Well, I'm afraid I'm a Yankee fan.........
...but hopefully he will heal quickly just the same.
Pedro Martinez was a huge bust for the mets and should consider retiring. Also the mets managment sucks everyone on that team is dominican or from a minority background and the gm is looking to make his team into a minority only team and i find that to be wrong on his part.
I just don't think that Pedro will ever even get close to the way he was pitching a few years ago, ya and they do need to get some English speaking ball players
I have to agree with ferder, Pedro should just get out of the league with some pride while he still can. He had great stuff, but with all his injuries I think his career is pretty much finished. I don't see anything wrong with the Mets management, considering the team is doing better than most of the other NL teams. Perhaps the minority management is just the most qualified.
Wow I cant believe how pessimistic people are about a pitcher who has the 3rd best winning percentage of all time. Calling it quits? Has no other pitcher ever recovered from this injury before? Has he been the same pitcher since he signed over from Boston? No. But he still had a very successful first year with an ERA under 3.00. Pedro himself is saying he is feeling alot better and has gotten better with every rehab start locating his pitches, and gaining more velocity. And considering that without the signing of Pedro, Carlos Beltran doesnt sign leaving a huge hole in our lineup and taking a Gold Glover out of the outfield.
And are people really criticizing the job Omar Minaya has done? All minority? Are we forgetting about Tom Glavine, Shawn Green, Paul Lo Duca, John Maine, and Billy Wagner? I'm not even mentioning David Wright who was brought in by Steve Phillips, who left the team in shambles before Minaya took it over.
So in the final month of the season I'd like to see what Pedro can do, because a less than 100% Pedro is better than a 100% Brian Lawrence or anyone else who may be thrown into that 5th spot.
As a Yankee fan i do hope pedro comes back with his best stuff, and makes it to the world series, lets just hope for your sake they dont have to play the cardinals again. I also hope the yanks make it to the world series again since its been a whole 4 years since they have been there. Just imagine yanks-mets world series, game 1 Pedro Vs Clemens...yanks begin to dominate Pedro once again and we get to hear "Whose your Daddy" again...That would be sweet
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