Friday, September 29, 2006
This is not good news
First, a sampling of the headlines:
NY Times: Mets disarmed and not as dangerous
NY Daily News: Oh No!
NY Post: He’s Done!
Me: F&*#
The gamble the Mets took when they signed Pedro Martinez to a four-year contract was on his health. Pedro is one of the very best pitchers in baseball when healthy — probably still in the top 5 — but his body, even in his prime, has never stood up well for the whole season. What you hope is to get a quality 25-30 starts out of him in the regular season and then have him ready to roll in the postseason.
That’s not going to happen this year. Last night the Mets ruled Pedro out for the postseason, robbing the Mets of their No. 1 starter and only legitimate ace.
This is not the end of the world. Pedro only started 23 games this year, and the Mets went 11-12 in those contests, meaning they’re a not-too-shabby 83-53 in games NPBP (not pitched by Pedro). But the Mets never needed Pedro this season. They were 6-0 in his first six starts and, by the time he went on the DL, had already built a commanding lead in the NL East. They need him now. They him to start Game 1 and Game 5 of the NLDS, Game 1 of the NLCS and Game 7 of the World Series.
Pedro was still worth the signing and, with the Mets’ new TV network, also worth his contract. Like Piazza before him, he helped legitimize a team that was floundering, and his signing begat Carlos Beltran, which made it easier to get Carlos Delgado, and so on. Moreover, the Mets can still win a watered-down NL. But instead of being the clear favorite they’re now right in the mix with the Padres, Dodgers, Phillies and Astros (though still ahead of the Cardinals, who are choking worse than George Wendt in an SNL skit).
With Pedro, you have to be prepared for an injury. You have to know this can happen. But it still sucks.
NY Times: Mets disarmed and not as dangerous
NY Daily News: Oh No!
NY Post: He’s Done!
Me: F&*#
The gamble the Mets took when they signed Pedro Martinez to a four-year contract was on his health. Pedro is one of the very best pitchers in baseball when healthy — probably still in the top 5 — but his body, even in his prime, has never stood up well for the whole season. What you hope is to get a quality 25-30 starts out of him in the regular season and then have him ready to roll in the postseason.
That’s not going to happen this year. Last night the Mets ruled Pedro out for the postseason, robbing the Mets of their No. 1 starter and only legitimate ace.
This is not the end of the world. Pedro only started 23 games this year, and the Mets went 11-12 in those contests, meaning they’re a not-too-shabby 83-53 in games NPBP (not pitched by Pedro). But the Mets never needed Pedro this season. They were 6-0 in his first six starts and, by the time he went on the DL, had already built a commanding lead in the NL East. They need him now. They him to start Game 1 and Game 5 of the NLDS, Game 1 of the NLCS and Game 7 of the World Series.
Pedro was still worth the signing and, with the Mets’ new TV network, also worth his contract. Like Piazza before him, he helped legitimize a team that was floundering, and his signing begat Carlos Beltran, which made it easier to get Carlos Delgado, and so on. Moreover, the Mets can still win a watered-down NL. But instead of being the clear favorite they’re now right in the mix with the Padres, Dodgers, Phillies and Astros (though still ahead of the Cardinals, who are choking worse than George Wendt in an SNL skit).
With Pedro, you have to be prepared for an injury. You have to know this can happen. But it still sucks.
# posted by EJ @ 9:33 AM 
Comments:
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I thought that Pedro's arm would fall off in the fourth year of this four year contract, but having his leg fall off is a complete surprise.
Can I just add that I'd prefer playing either the Cards or the Padres over the Dodgers (who were 41-19 in their last 60, and seem to have a little bit of Red Sox circa 2004-type magic to them)?
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