Posts tagged PedroMartinez at FanHouse

Later today, the Red Sox will stroll out of the visitor's dugout and face the Yankees for the final time at venerable Yankee Stadium. There will be other goodbyes to the House That Ruth Built in the coming weeks, but with the Bronx Bombers a major longshot to play into October, this series seems to have taken on special significance.

Here are a dozen of the finest moments in the best rivalry in American sports, all of which took place at Yankee Stadium. Even Red Sox fans have to be feeling a little nostalgic about their team's final visit. After all, the franchise's finest hour took place there.

1. Oct. 16, 2003: The ghosts strike one last time. After Red Sox manager Grady Little leaves Pedro Martinez in well past the 100-pitch mark with a 5-2 lead in the eighth inning, the Yankees rally to force extra innings. In the 11th, Aaron Boone sends a deep fly into the Bronx night, sending New York to the World Series and crushing Boston's dreams of ending the Curse of the Bambino again.

In the last few weeks heading to tomorrow's trade deadline, there have been a few rumors swirling around that the Yankees are very interested in Seattle's Jarrod Washburn. Still, for the most part, everything that's been heard about this deal in recent days would lead us to believe it's dead.

Why? I don't know. From what I can tell, there was nobody else besides the Yankees interested in Washburn, so I don't understand why Seattle doesn't give him up and shed the $14 million in salary. Still, a deal between the two teams seems unlikely, so that's got ESPN's Buster Olney wondering if another New York team may come calling.

Baseball executives love the mental challenge of piecing together the trade deadline puzzle, and I heard this interesting speculation -- and that's all it is, speculation -- from an executive with a team that is not involved in the Jarrod Washburn conversation: With the Mets now perhaps in need of a starting pitcher (in the aftermath of the MRI planned for John Maine), wouldn't Washburn be a great fit for the Mets?

Washburn is a gritty pitcher, he usually gives six tough innings and he'd be pitching in a big ballpark. And because he's under contract for 2009, he would give the Mets some depth protection; Pedro Martinez and Oliver Perez are eligible for free agency after this season.

I have to agree with Buster and the anonymous executive. Washburn would be a good fit for the Mets. His overall numbers on the season aren't that great (5-9, 4.50 ERA, 1.43 WHIP), but the last two months he's been very effective. Since Jarrod's regained control of his changeup, he's gone 3-2 and has allowed more than two earned runs only once in his last ten starts.

Adding him to their rotation could help the Mets win the NL East, and they probably won't have to give up much at all to get him.

The elderly contingent of the New York Mets took another injury hit, as Pedro Martinez's second half debut will be delayed a little bit, as a pain killing injection will force him to miss his first start out of the break, which was scheduled for Sunday in Cincinnati. He could go on Tuesday against the Phillies, but if he can't answer the bell then, the Mets can go with a four-man rotation with an off-day on Monday.

There's never a fortunate time for an injury, but with Mike Pelfrey as the reigning NL pitcher of the week, and Oliver Perez having given up two runs in his last 20 innings, the back of the rotation can hang in fairly well while Pedro misses this start. As for Pedro, it's just another in the long line of injuries he's suffered in this odyssey of a season ... from his hamstring injury in April to groin problems and shoulder tightness in his last start against Colorado, and now this. It seems like a temporary thing, but we'll always wonder what's next with Pedro, as one injury for an older pitcher always seems to lead to another.

On Deck is Fanhouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups

I understand why Mets fans are upset with their team, after all, the sting of last season's collapse in the final weeks is still pretty fresh in their memories. Then there's the fact they have a $138 million payroll, and the team has been hovering around .500 during 2008. What I don't get is that when you talk to a Mets fan about the team, they talk about the team as if they're dead and buried.

You guys do realize you're only 3.5 games out of first place, don't you? There are still 74 games left in your season, which is plenty of time to make up such a small deficit. This is something you should be well aware of after watching the Phillies overcome a larger gap in an even shorter amount of time.

I know you're in third place at the moment, but I wouldn't expect the Marlins to stay where they are during the second half of the season with that bullpen and the inconsistency of their starting pitching. Trust me, if the Phillies are worrying about holding their lead over anybody, it's you guys. Not the Marlins.

With a win today, the Mets will have taken three of four from the division leaders this weekend, and be right back in the race. So cheer up, Mets fans, you kids are still in this thing!

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups

Remember not too long ago when Pedro Martinez was the most dominant pitcher in baseball? His rise started way back in 1997, in his last season in Montreal, but where he really took off was in Beantown.

The seven seasons Pedro spent pitching for the Red Sox in Boston were pretty amazing. He went 117-37 while there, and aside from his 3.90 ERA in 2004, he never had an ERA over 2.89. Think about that for a second, and while you're doing that make sure you remind yourself that Pedro only missed a significant amount of time once in his time in Boston, making only 18 starts in 2001 (and going 7-3 with a 2.39 ERA in those starts).

How many other pitchers have been dominant over that length of time? Bob Gibson from 1963-70? Sandy Koufax? Sandy had some good seasons while with the Dodgers, but I would only say he dominated in his final four years there.

No, Pedro was the greatest pitcher I've ever seen, and I say was because the Pedro we've seen pitching for the Mets the last few seasons is not the Pedro I remember.

Will he be able to rekindle the spark tonight?

All the Mets were hoping for from Pedro Martinez's return to the mound on Tuesday night was that he was able to walk off the mound and make his next start this weekend. Obviously, they were hoping the start would be a quality one but a healthy Pedro would make for happy Mets.

They're ecstatic this morning, then. Martinez is healthy and he threw six innings of solid baseball and picked up the win. Seven hits, three walks, three strikeouts and three runs makes for a quality start and it makes for a happy counterbalance to Oliver Perez's mess the night before. The only possible drawback would be that the Mets left him in to throw 109 pitches in a game they had pretty well in hand, 9-3 after five innings, but his body held up.

As a cherry on top, Pedro went 2-for-3 and drove in a run in the eight-run fifth. The runs came against Barry Zito and there's a bittersweet irony to that matchup. The only thing Martinez has been missing the last two years has been his health while the only thing Zito has going for him is that a literal piano hasn't fallen on his head. He's given baseball it's own definition of "At least you've got your health."

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups

New York Yankees (28-29) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (31-28) - 7:05PM Est.

Today is the day that Yankees fans have been waiting for all season. After deciding against making a trade for Johan Santana this off-season, and instead choosing to go with youngsters Phillip Hughes and Ian Kennedy, the Yankees find themselves just trying to get back to .500.

You see, even though the merits of the decision to not go after Santana are still up for debate, there's no question that Hughes and Kennedy have sucked (the duo has combined to go 0-7 with a 7.99 ERA in 14 starts). The magnitude of their suck has been so great that it would take a very large man with a blazing fastball to counteract it.

That's where Joba Chamberlain comes in, as the starter turned set-up man turned starter again makes his first start as a member of the New York Yankees tonight at Yankee Stadium.

In with the old and out with the new. And all that business. Pedro Martinez, making a rehab start in Single A, squared off against number one draft pick and uber-prospect David Price today, and Price got the better of him. Pedro went six innings, giving up four hits and two earned while striking out six. Price, meanwhile, gave up only two hits over six shutout innings while striking out nine.
Pedro was impressed.

'He's amazing, that kid. He's amazing,' Martinez said. 'That kid is very mature for his time in [the pros], and very talented.

'Oh my God.'

Pedro went on to say that Price was "superior" to the Cy Young winner at that age, which isn't that surprising when you compare their development throughout their careers, talent aside.

But Petey is still going to beat him to the majors, at least this year. Martinez could be back as soon as next week (this being his final rehab outing) while Price won't be in the bigs until later this year, at the earliest.

Fantasy Spin: Pedro is probably a free agent in your league and even at his age, pitching for the [would-be] contending Mets makes him a viable starter. If he's unowned, make a move. Price, for seasonal leagues, shouldn't be owned right now, unless you have a really deep bench. But keeper leagues should be all over him already, in anticipation of a call up should the Rays stay in the hunt.

According to a report on the Mets MLB.com site, Pedro Martinez should be returning to the hill for his Mets June 3rd. This is good news for the Mets and Pedro's fantasy owners alike. The Mets have been underachieving, but most of that could be chalked up to major injury woes. Assuming Pedro's completely healthy, this adds a quality starter to the mix.

Fantasy-spin-wise, you'll need to realize he's never going to be the Pedro of old again before even considering what your proper expectations should be. After that, though, things are positive. He plays for a team that will start getting back offensive pieces and is capable of winning 85-90 games. He's only 36, which is not overly old by pitching standards. He compiled a 32/7 K/BB last season in only 28 innings along with a 3-1 record.

On the flip-side, he only averaged 5 2/3 innings per start and allowed 33 hits in those 28 innings. That set him up with a poor 1.43 WHIP to counteract his stellar 2.57 ERA. This shows that he still knows how to work his way out of jams most of the time, but he's wearing down in his "old" age.

His recent penchant for being easily injured only makes him more of a gamble.

Verdict: He's gotta be considered a top 50 starting pitcher, but nothing more. In weekly leagues, you can consider him a very good spot starter based upon favorable matchups. If things stay as they currently stand, he'll be facing the light-hitting Giants in pitcher-friendly San Fran with sucky Barry Zito on the hill opposite him. Seems like a damn fine spot to me.

As always, if you have specific lineup questions, email us.

As the Willie Randolph Death Watch enters day 238, Willie is maintaining a stubborn approach, and just refusing to die. Sure, the owners of the team he works for don't even want to talk to him, and he just got the dreaded vote of confidence from his general manager, but Willie just keeps on keepin' on. Is it fair that Willie should have to pay the price for Omar Minaya investing money in a rapidly aging Carlos Delgado? Is it Willie's fault that Carlos Beltran isn't producing? Is Willie the reason Pedro Martinez has been hurt all season?

No, but this is baseball, and in baseball, blame rarely is placed on those who truly deserve it. So unless the Mets get things turned around very quickly, he's just about gone. Former Mets catcher, and Hall of Famer, Gary Carter is well aware of this and, like a vulture, he's circling above Randolph waiting for him to drop.

On "The Mike & Murray Show" on Sirius Satellite Radio, the former Met Gary Carter campaigned to replace Randolph. Carter, a Hall of Famer, is the manager of the Orange County Flyers of the independent Golden Baseball League.

According to a transcript of the program, Carter said that when he heard of Randolph's troubles, he "immediately" called Jay Horwitz, the Mets' vice president for media relations, and asked if he should call the team's principal owner, Fred Wilpon. "I just want them to know of my availability." Carter said. "I'm only a phone call away. I could be in New York tomorrow."

I get the fact that Carter wants the job, and he may turn out to be a good manager should he get it, but I'm somewhat put off by the fact he's campaigning for it so openly considering Randolph hasn't actually been fired anywhere but in the media yet. If he wants to call the Wilpons and let him know he's available, fine, but to go on a radio show or any other public domain and do it seems kind of sleazy to me.