Indications are that Martinez is now a Phil for something like a million bucks with an incentives package worth $1.5 million, with an official announcement just hours away.
Recall back in spring that Martinez supposedly wanted 5 million for the year, and this was a leading reason the Mets wouldn’t bite. Well, to many it made sound sense. Obviously, he cannot ask for too much signing now in July.
From March on I have been among those calling for his return to the Mets. Others adamantly disagree, especially among the Metsmerized faithful. That’s fine. While there’s no doubt, Martinez never really did much for the Mets, he at least seemed and acted like a Met. Like all Mets fans, we wanted him to be a Cy Younger, ultimately, a huge Mets success story. He never was. So why would I clamor for his return, especially after a few truly forgettable and teeth-gnashing outings to cap the disaster that was 2008?
My feeling as far back as 2007 was that Martinez on the one-hand was an injury-prone liability but that he had never shown he was incapable of being a very good pitcher. Thirty-seven or thirty-eight years of age affects all players differently, but many pitchers can successfully pitch into their forties. Sure, they often lose power, velocity, and endurance, but HOFers and greats mix up repertoires and refine certain pitches as they age to be effective in new ways. Attitude and outlook, obviously, account for much, too.
Many of us fans felt that the Mets had done everything necessary for Petey, that now it was his turn to give back, basically in the form of accepting any offer the Mets threw his way b/c he had already cost us much heartache. At the same time, that’s really not a rational way of thinking about how professional athletes conduct themselves when trying to stay professional. Martinez has been an outstanding pitcher throughout most of his career. Did anybody really think that if he wanted to continue pitching, he was going to throw himself on the mercy of Mets management, saying, ” I know I haven’t been too good, but please let me return and you can have me for a song”? Seriously, it makes little sense.
Martinez is as driven a competitor as any other pitcher and proved his desire to help the Mets even in his capacity as injured bench guy. True, you don’t need to pay a former great millions to cheer the actual players on, but why shouldn’t a truly healthy Martinez help any team out down the stretch?
As I asked here back in March, do any of you really think Redding, Hernandez, or Nieve (at that time I include, ahem, Freddie Garcia!) will necessarily be more helpful to the Mets than a relatively healthy and engaged Martinez come August and September? Sorry, folks, but this thing has badly missed opportunity written all over it.
No one is hoping he fails like a wet firecracker more than I when he joins the Phucks rotation come the second half of August, and while I’m at it, I also vow that I’m not going to write any snippy “I-told-you-so” pieces if a typical Mets nightmare scenario comes to pass.
Sigh!
*Mets Merized Online Needs Your Help*
yea but he was placed ont eh 15 day DL this morning already lol
It took him about 15 minutes to get placed on the 15-day DL. Ha!!
I’m not sure how it all works but is that just to get him in game ready shape? A technicality of sorts?
This only points out that the DL is a farce. It is nothing more than a way for teams to manage their rosters. Guys go on the DL for all kinds of trumped up reasons just to buy time. Ollie Perez is a case in point. Was his knee really injured? Seems like it was more an invented malady. So now the Phillies don’t want to send someone down while Pedro gets ready. So now he rehabs to get ready. It’s all a joke and no one takes the DL for real.
I just find it ironic. But I agree, it must be for some kind of conditioning type of thing. I wonder if they’ll let him practice in his own facilities like the Mets did?
Shouldn’t the commissioner ban this type of loophole? I had a sneak feeling that the Mets originally did the same thing when they DL’ed Oliver Perez. It turned out that I was wrong and Perez was really hurt, but initially I thought it was just a strategic ploy by the Mets.
How can they sign someone, tell reporters he would pitch a few games in AAA, and then DL him to allow them the luxury of not expending a roster spot?
I just think the practice should be banned.
But JTB1700 – you act as if Bud Selig KNOWS what he’s doing (and most importantly, cares about the state of baseball, LOL)
Well lets remember the Phils did it with Lidge. There really was nothing wrong with him, but you couldn’t send him to the minors. His mechanics were messed up. The Mets have used this. Pretty much everyone does. This is a basic loophole.
Personally my favorite loophole is getting a 50-game suspension and somehow still able to play in the Minors. Now it seems Selig wants to change that. How obvious of a loophole is that? I mean, you ban a guy from MLB, but not baseball in general? Where else will he be conditioned? Selig continues to ruin this game and tries to fix his mess by passing more laws.
Just forget it.
Mets fans consider Pedro Martinez an enemy from now on.
This is so sad. It is like Glavine going back to the Braves…only worse. I still can’t call Pedro an ememy. Sorry.
Tell me about it, Mary. As if to add insult to injury, the Post just published a story, saying Petey wanted to stay a Met.
Geez, thanks loads Wilpons and Minaya…NOTTTTTT!
OH COME ON……how and why would anyone want him back……seriously he’s almost 39 years old, and he had ONE good year with us, the rest was Pavanoesk almost.
I LOVED Pedro – but how do we scream one day that they sign OLD players, then Scream they didn’t sign an old broken down one……
I KNOW you are much smarter then that
Should we take bets on how long before he’s back on the DL again?
Lets Go Mets Pedro’s a Phil, what a traitor.
Money!! Money!! Money!!