Report: Pedro Martinez signs with the Mets

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

Unless the universe pulls a screwjob and he wins a Cy Young.

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Pedro winning at least 1 more CY Young.

 

And Boston fans, even after slaying the Evil Empire, are still playing the victim and being pessimists. Enjoy your victory, quit dwelling on what *might* happen. They could come out and blow the doors off the AL East.

 

But in a way I do agree with your stance. Not because the team chemistry is gone, but mostly because they got lucky against the Yanks.

 

haha

[Guest Failed Mascot]

They won the World Series, that's all that matters to me. I expect them to be competitive until about 2007 when all the contracts start expiring and they rebuild from within. I know their main goal is to build a competitive team from their farm system and then place in a missing piece here and there from Free Agency. That's the way it should be done too.

[Some Guy 0]

This is what happened: Henry apparently decided way back last February or

March that Pedro wasn't someone he wanted to keep. Actually, if he had

his way he'd wipe the slate totally clean of anyone that they didn't bring in

themselves. It isn't about the team so much as it is for Henry to have

chess pieces he can move around the Red Sox board of play. It's all about

control to Henry and he doesn't want anyone who was here before...anyone

at all.

 

Trot Nixon? Johnny Damon? Doug Mirabelli? Are all still with the team, Damon and Mirabelli being aquired by the Duke and Nixon being a Lou Gorman draft pick. Both Nixon and Mirabelli were resigned and Damon (despite the trade rumors last year, won't be traded this year most likely). If you look at the successful players who the new Sox ownership has traded, tried to trade, or let go to free agency you have three. Manny, Nomar, and Pedro. Manny was a money issue and he said many times that he wanted to play for the Yankees and didn't really care for Boston, Nomar was offered $16 million over three years and turned it down, Pedro had his $17.5 million dollar option picked up at his public behest a full 7 months before it had to be done and showed little gratitude, he was offered a ton of money to stay and choose to take more. To claim that Henry wants nothing to do with players aquired prior to his ownership may be true, but he has not acted in that way.

 

If he really wanted Manny out of town he'd have given Texas the money and gotten A-Rod, if he really wanted Pedro out of town he never would have paid him $17.5 million this season and then offered him $14 million a year for 3 years, if he really wanted Nomar out of town because he was not aquired by his ownership group then he never would have offered him such a huge contract. Nomar is gone because he wanted to be gone, Pedro is gone because he wanted to be gone. That's that. The Henry group is obviously doing something right, they did bring a WS to Boston.

 

I agree with the Sox on this one, despite being upset to Pedro go, offering a guy who has attitude and arm problems a four year contract is not a particularilly good idea, especially at that type of money. If Pedro gets hurt and has to retire the Mets still have to pay him and they won't get a very good issurance policy on that contract because everybody knows that Pedro is already injured and will not have surgery because he is scared to end up like his brother.

 

Al, you said that the big problem with Pedro is that he gave up 26 hrs, or more than he had given up in the last three seasons combined. But excused that to some degree by calling Fenway a hitter's park (which it is, however it is not really a HR park, this was one of the factors that Schilling mentioned as a reason for coming to Boston). Pedro pitched in Boston each of the four seasons, so using the park as an excuse for him allowing that many hrs is not a valid argument. He also walked and hit more batters than he has in years and struck out fewer. he's not the same guy who went 24-3, struck out 313, and pitched several shutouts in 1999, while making less money then he was offered by the Sox or the Mets. I just don't see how this deal makes sense for the Mets or how it really did for Boston. Too much money for too much risk and potenially little reward. I could be wrong and Pedro might find his 95 mph gas and tighten up his curve and change again, but at 33 years old and after injury, I doubt it.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

From Precious Roy...

 

The truth is that with our success in the 90's and all the beloved players those teams produced we expect a lot from our players, and the only way to be truely accepted is to win and produce in the clutch.

 

When you look at the Championship postseasons of 1998-2000, and compare them to 2001-04, I think there is one critical difference. In the championship years, Rivera posted an ungodly run of saves. No team could beat the Yankees in the late innings. Now, in 2001 and 2004, the Yankees lost series directly as a result of Rivera's blown saves. Not blaming Rivera here, this stuff happens. It just seems to me that the Yankees' run was the result of great teams combined with great luck. That luck ran out recently. Just how I see it.

 

From Some Guy....

 

Al, you said that the big problem with Pedro is that he gave up 26 hrs, or more than he had given up in the last three seasons combined. But excused that to some degree by calling Fenway a hitter's park (which it is, however it is not really a HR park, this was one of the factors that Schilling mentioned as a reason for coming to Boston). Pedro pitched in Boston each of the four seasons, so using the park as an excuse for him allowing that many hrs is not a valid argument. He also walked and hit more batters than he has in years and struck out fewer. he's not the same guy who went 24-3, struck out 313, and pitched several shutouts in 1999, while making less money then he was offered by the Sox or the Mets. I just don't see how this deal makes sense for the Mets or how it really did for Boston. Too much money for too much risk and potenially little reward. I could be wrong and Pedro might find his 95 mph gas and tighten up his curve and change again, but at 33 years old and after injury, I doubt it.

 

Fenway Park certainly isn't an excuse for Pedro's HR rate. It increased because of Martinez. Fenway does allow less home runs than the average park. But Shea Stadium allows even less home runs than Fenway. The point is that Martinez's home run rate should decrease in Shea Stadium.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Unless they improve the defense for Martinez I don't see him having a major year. Sure Mike Cameron is good but Floyd loses the ball in a clear sky, Jose Reyes always has leg problems which reduce his mobility, Kaz Matsui hasn't proven himself, Mike Piazza is bad behind the plate, etc.

 

He better hope he can strike-out at least 8 a game.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Unless they improve the defense for Martinez I don't see him having a major year. Sure Mike Cameron is good but Floyd loses the ball in a clear sky, Jose Reyes always has leg problems which reduce his mobility, Kaz Matsui hasn't proven himself, Mike Piazza is bad behind the plate, etc.

 

He better hope he can strike-out at least 8 a game.

For all of Matsui's faults with the stick, he was a good defensive shortstop last season. I think the Mets' defense is as good as Pedro will find anywhere else.

[Bored 0]

Using Baseball Propsectus' Defensive Efficiency numbers the Mets were a slightly better defensive team than the Red Sox last year.

[Brett Favre 0]

Unless they improve the defense for Martinez I don't see him having a major year. Sure Mike Cameron is good but Floyd loses the ball in a clear sky, Jose Reyes always has leg problems which reduce his mobility, Kaz Matsui hasn't proven himself, Mike Piazza is bad behind the plate, etc.

 

He better hope he can strike-out at least 8 a game.

For all of Matsui's faults with the stick, he was a good defensive shortstop last season. I think the Mets' defense is as good as Pedro will find anywhere else.

His bat wasn't the problem. Everyone was complaining about his D. But it was probably blown out of the water.

[strummer 0]

Pedro passed his physical, Dan Patrick on ESPN just reports, it's official

[Guest Failed Mascot]

The Mets were going to go out of there way to find a doctor to pass him on his physical. As long as he can even throw the ball it was never really in question after he admitted to coming to terms with them.

[Bored 0]

The Mets were going to go out of there way to find a doctor to pass him on his physical.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Pedro's career will be ended by People Who Look Like Things.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Pedro's career will be ended by People Who Look Like Things.

[iliketurtles 0]

The Mets were going to go out of there way to find a doctor to pass him on his physical.

That was the post of the week.

[MikeJordan23 0]

 

 

 

Still can't get over this

[Precious Roy 0]

Pedro was hilarious on Mike and the Mad Dog today! As a Yankees fan I've gotta say I'm glad he's in New York, because he's entertaining as hell, and win or lose he's bringing a lot of excitement to the city.

[MikeJordan23 0]

Pedro was hilarious on Mike and the Mad Dog today! As a Yankees fan I've gotta say I'm glad he's in New York, because he's entertaining as hell, and win or lose he's bringing a lot of excitement to the city.

Yeah he was good. And he didn't backdown from Chris.

[Brett Favre 0]

Damn I missed it. They should put it on the site sometime this weekend or next week. What did Chris ask Pedro? It was probably great.

[Some Guy 0]

From Some Guy....

 

Al, you said that the big problem with Pedro is that he gave up 26 hrs, or more than he had given up in the last three seasons combined. But excused that to some degree by calling Fenway a hitter's park (which it is, however it is not really a HR park, this was one of the factors that Schilling mentioned as a reason for coming to Boston). Pedro pitched in Boston each of the four seasons, so using the park as an excuse for him allowing that many hrs is not a valid argument. He also walked and hit more batters than he has in years and struck out fewer. he's not the same guy who went 24-3, struck out 313, and pitched several shutouts in 1999, while making less money then he was offered by the Sox or the Mets. I just don't see how this deal makes sense for the Mets or how it really did for Boston. Too much money for too much risk and potenially little reward. I could be wrong and Pedro might find his 95 mph gas and tighten up his curve and change again, but at 33 years old and after injury, I doubt it.

 

Fenway Park certainly isn't an excuse for Pedro's HR rate. It increased because of Martinez. Fenway does allow less home runs than the average park. But Shea Stadium allows even less home runs than Fenway. The point is that Martinez's home run rate should decrease in Shea Stadium.

True enough, but that doesn't mean that he isn't striking out fewer batters and giving up more hits and BB per 9 ip than he has been. Gammons had the stats in his Pedro column. Putting more balls in play and allowing more baserunners is not a good sign. Plus pitching to Piazza (who is a horrible catcher, especiall when compared to Varitek), dealing with the aditional stressers of NY, and the fact that he has a shoulder injury won't make him better than he was in the last year and certainly won't allow him to recapture the off-the-charts abilities he had in his prime. Keep in mind that we're talking about a 33 year old guy who is past his prime, well past his prime. Since the shoulder injury he has barely sniffed his previous level of greatness.

 

He's just not the stopper or the dominater that carried the Sox to the post season in 98 and 99 and kept them in the hunt in 2000 and 01. He wasn't even the ace of the staff in 2004, a 37 year old guy with a gimpy ankle was.

 

As much as it may sound like sour grapes coming from a Red Sox fan, it really isn't. If I were Theo and the Trio I wouldn't have committed to 4 years either and would have been just as relucant to give him 3 as they were. But Pedro is no longer Boston's cross to bear anymore. Noe he's NY's whipping boy when the team finishes fourth in the NL east again.

[Guest Mosaicv2]

It's amazin how New York loves Pedro so much... I bet if Rocker becomes a Yankee... there'll be sucking his ass too.

[Brett Favre 0]

It's amazin how New York loves Pedro so much... I bet if Rocker becomes a Yankee... there'll be sucking his ass too.

New York has 2 teams. It's not unbelievable that Met fans adore Pedro.

[KingPK 0]

Pedro burns all bridges with Sox management.

 

Really interesting interview, where Pedro rails against management and says he wants both Manny and Varitek on the Mets next season.

[mike546 0]

Do the Mets play the Sox next year?

 

God thats gonna be fun when it happens.

 

Awesome interview btw, the whole managment conspiracy thing was hinted at.

[DerangedHermit 0]

Do the Mets play the Sox next year?

Nah, they play the Yanks (duh), Angels, Mariners and A's.

 

Yanks face Brewers, Cards, Pirate, Cubs and (duh) the Mets next years. Red Sox face Cards, Cubs, Reds, Pirates and Phillies.

[KingPK 0]

Awesome interview btw, the whole managment conspiracy thing was hinted at.

I don't think there was a "conspiracy"; a lot of us knew that management wasn't going to fall over themselves trying to lock this guy up. Schilling pretty much taking over the "fan favorite" role in one year definitely irked him a lot, not that I don't blame him.