Pedro's Agent Blames Flu For Sickly Game 6

According to his agent, Pedro Martinez wants to pitch a full season next year.

Fern Cuza told FOX Sports that the old school righty is 100% healthy for the first time in three years and that pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies this postseason "rejuvenated" his client. Rejuvenated, despite that mangled Game 6 when he gave up four runs on three hits with two walks in just four innings, fanning five New York Yankees. Cuza blames that unfortunate outing on the flu.

Pitching with the flu with the World Series on the line, eh? Slick.

"I think he lost 13 pounds," Cuza proclaimed. "When I saw him in Miami last week, he was still battling it. He said, 'I don’t know what hit me.' I don’t know how he took the mound that night. I didn’t realize how sick he was."

Obviously, neither did Charlie Manuel.

The 38-year-old free agent signed with the Phillies midseason, and aided in their National League Championship. He went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA over nine regular season starts before pitching pretty damn well in the playoffs. Until the lackluster Game 6, that is.

[FOX Sports]

A.J. Burnett Lights Up Phils in Game 2

Jayson Werth should really do something about that squirrel hanging out on his chin. Just a thought. The New York Yankees’ bats finally woke up for Game 2 of the World Series Thursday night with a 3-1 win over the reigning world champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Continue reading this story at Sports Untapped. Have a safe and fun Halloween everyone! Enjoy the World Series, see ya Monday.

Derek Jeter: Biggest Loser

New York Yankees shortstop and 2009 Roberto Clemente Award recipient Derek Jeter appeared on NBC's The Biggest Loser this week in an effort to pump up the contestants.

We'll see who the biggest losers are after Game 2 of the World Series at 7:57pm ET tonight, where old schooler Pedro Martinez takes the hill for the Philadelphia Phillies against Yankees righty A.J. Burnett. Enjoy!

2009: The Year of the Comeback

I'm not sure how many more late-inning comebacks I can take. But man, they sure are exciting.

The Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for two runs in the eighth inning of Game 2 of the NLCS against the reigning Champion Philadelphia Phillies, coming away with a 2-1 victory Friday night.

Giants vs. Phillies: What a Game

Pitcher's duels are so great.

Picture this... youngster Tim Lincecum: verified strike-out machine and freak of nature vs. Pedro Martinez: future Hall of Famer in vintage form. That's exactly what the world got Thursday night.

Pedro tossed seven impressive innings, fanning a season-high nine batters in his fifth start since signing with the Philadelphia Phillies during the All-Star break. The old school righty surrendered one run and five hits, didn't walk a soul, and threw just 87 pitches in his longest outing since last August with the New York Mets.

Jamie Moyer Should Be Proud of Pedro Martinez

Because Pedro Martinez pitched almost exactly how I imagine Jamie Moyer would have, if the whiner was starting tonight... give or take three or four runs. But he's crying in the bullpen instead.

The old school righty was handed plenty of run support during his first five innings in a Philadelphia Phillies uniform. As of right now, his new team is up 12-3 over the Chicago Cubs in the top of the seventh.

Martinez allowed three runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out five in his debut... which is kind of rough, starting your big league season out with a 5.40 ERA with just 10 starts remaining.

If you'd like all the details in Phanatic Phasion, check out The 700 Level for their live blog.

[Josh Q. Public] | [Phungo] | [The Phillies Room]

Poor Jamie Moyer

Jamie Moyer is not happy with the Philadelphia Phillies, to say the least.

The old school hurler went off about team management Tuesday, claiming he felt "misled" and "disheartened" by their decision to move him to the bullpen. The demotion came in favor of another aging pitcher, Pedro Martinez, who will debut in red pinstripes later on tonight against the Chicago Cubs.

Moyer, a 46-year-old lefty who is normally classified as calm and collected, sat in the stands behind the Phils' dugout at Wrigley Field while talking to the media... which is just kind of strange. Said the 22-year veteran:

Ultimately, I’m a little disheartened because I know this past winter, when I was negotiating with the Phillies, this was a sore thumb, if you will, about this potentially happening. You can't promise anything in this game, but I really felt that Ruben kind of parlayed to me that this type of situation would not happen.

Phils' J.A. Happy For Now

With a career-high 10 strikeouts in his second shutout of the season, J.A. Happ more than made his case to manager Charlie Manuel to hang around the over-crowded Philadelphia Phillies rotation.

Leading the Phillies to an impressive 7-0 win over the Colorado Rockies Wednesday night, Happ (8-2, 2.74 ERA) tossed 127 pitches, allowing just four hits and was still reaching the 90s into the ninth inning.

The one guy who is threatening Happ's semi-secured spot in the order is old-schooler Pedro Martinez, who was simultaneously pitching in a rehab start for the Double-A Reading Phils. The 37-year-old, three-time Cy Young Award winner fanned 11 over just six innings against the Trenton Thunder.

What does this mean for Happ? If the Phillies believe Pedro can perform even close to that well in the big leagues, the 26-year-old lefty will be shifted to the bullpen. Sad.

[Newsday] | [Phightin Phillies Phorum] | [Macho Row] | [Phillies Nation]

Pedro Martinez: Old School Is Back

Pedro Martinez's cock-fighting days are over. He's finally returning to the majors... well, eventually.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner agreed to a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday worth $1 million, with incentives that could reach $1.5 million. Aaaaaand he's already hurt. The team has placed him directly on the 15-day disabled list with a mild shoulder strain, with no word on a rehab assignment as of yet.

Continue reading this story at Fantasy Pros 911.

Pedro Will Look Great in Red Pinstripes

Pedro Martinez has apparently signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Philles.

The 37-year-old three-time Cy Young Award winner's new deal will likely be announced in a news conference later on today, according to an anonymous source close to negotiations. He could earn up to $1.5 million in incentives, but he'll be making at least a few starts in the minor leagues before joining the big league rotation.

Martinez, the free agent righty who pitched in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic this year, was 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA with the New York Mets last season. He's a career 214-99 with a 2.91 ERA over 17 seasons in the game. Pretty good, but is there any gas left in that tank? When a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter approached him on the street yesterday afternoon, Pedro said:

We're going to talk baseball right now? Here in the street? Man. Get a stick. . . . We'll talk later. Nothing is confirmed yet, and we're still working, so take it easy. I'll talk to you guys later, OK?

Get a stick?

Update: Umm... he's already on the DL.

[Philadelphia Inquirer] | [The Fightins] | [MLB Wire]

Pedro Martinez Would Like You To Know...

he can still throw a baseball.

The Toronto Blue Jays pretty much have no starting pitchers... except Scott Richmond, who was awesome against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. But we'll just go ahead and pretend he's having some great turn-around for the sake of this argument.

Pedro Martinez is Here to Save the Day

Pedro Martinez is set to rejoin the New York Mets rotation this Tuesday with a start against the San Francisco Giants, his first of the season.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner, who has been on the disabled list since straining his left hamstring April 1st, thinks the Mets would be a whole lot better off if he'd been around all season.

"Being a veteran and being as loose as I am, and being so noisy every day and so loud, I think that would have helped my teammates keep their cool," he said.

Well, if that's the case, he's just in time, since New York has sucked their way to 26-27 after Friday night’s 9-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

[Newsday]

No Pedro For You

The New York Mets will be without veteran Pedro Martinez for a bit longer than expected. General Manager Omar Minaya told the New York Post that he expects Pedro's strained hamstring to heal by mid-May, but possibly not until June.

The 36-year-old righty hurt himself during his very first start of the season on April 1st against the Florida Marlins, allowing four runs on four hits before hearing his hammy pop in the fourth inning.

This marks the third straight season Martinez has landed on the DL.

In other Mets news, a man fell to his death from an escalator at Shea Stadium Tuesday. Read all about it at The 'Ropolitans.

[New York Post] | [Mets Blog] | [The Mets Report] | [Mets Magic Team]

Well That Didn't Take Long

Pedro Martinez is already hurt.

The veteran righty will be sidelined 4-6 weeks with what the New York Mets are calling a mild left hamstring strain.

Martinez, a three-time Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday night after injuring himself Tuesday during his start against the Florida Marlins, where he lasted just 3.1 innings and surrendered four runs.

The Mets filled Pedro's spot on the roster by purchasing the contract of Brooklyn-born righty Nelson Figueroa from the AAA New Orleans Zephyrs.

There is the possibility of Oliver Perez being moved up to start Tuesday's Home Opener against the Philadelphia Phillies, while Jorge Sosa is a long-shot to make the rotation.

[Mets Grrl]

PETA Would Like an Apology

Though cock fighting is no more cruel and unusual than hoarding chickens into small cages to be butchered... mmmm chicken wings... it is still illegal in the United States. Now New York Mets veteran Pedro Martinez and his idol, Hall of Famer Juan Marichal, are taking some heat for enjoying a little recreational animal-fighting in the Dominican Republic two years ago!

PETA mailed letters to both hurlers and the Commissioner Thursday, demanding a public apology and asking that all big league players and staff be forced to take their animal sensitivity training course.

The Humane Society also chimed in, saying that MLB "should join [them] in condemning Martinez and Marichal for their shameful example."

Wow.

[Home Run Derby]

Amazin' Martinez

After his first three pitches peaked in the low 80's, New York Mets fans were beginning to wonder what sort of comeback this would be for Pedro Martinez.

Two singles, a sac fly, another base hit and a stolen bag later, the Cincinnati Reds were already up, 2-0. But being the veteran that he is, Martinez took a deep breath and forced a grounder and a fly-out to pitch out of trouble.

Enjoy Pedrovision

Here's hoping you enjoy Pedro Martinez's return to the mound as much as we will today, when he makes his season debut for the New York Mets against Aaron Harang and the Cincinnati Reds at The Great American Ball Park at 1:15pm ET.

The veteran righty will be limited to 75 pitches with no more than 35 in one inning. Hopefully he'll get a nice quality start out of the deal and fan at least two batters, since he is just 2 K's away from the 3000 strikeout mark.

Martinez boasts a career 206-92 record with a 2.81 ERA in 375 starts.

[Newsday]

Welcome Back, Pedro Martinez

After recovering from his October 5th rotator cuff surgery, Pedro Martinez is finally ready to go.

The New York Mets veteran righty will make his long-awaited season debut Monday against the Cincinnati Reds at The Great American Ball Park.

Pedro's Return Imminent

In his best rehab start yet, Pedro Martinez allowed two unearned runs over five innings, striking out four and walking one for the Class-A St. Lucie Mets Monday.

Two consecutive errors and a wild pitch in the fifth inning led to both of the Brevard County Manatees' runs. Pedro threw 72 pitches in the start, and would've tossed more if he hadn't lowered the number after waking up with a sore neck. He did say it didn't bother him during the game, however.

No word on where the three-time Cy Young Award winner will pitch next, but that is up to Martinez to decide, depending on his comfort level.

In other St. Lucie news, Mets outfielder Endy Chavez - working his way back from a strained left hammy - went 3-for-4 with a run scored in the team's 4-3 win.

[Newsday]

Remember Pedro Martinez?

Yeah, he's still pretty awesome.

Pedro pitched 5.1 innings in a simulated game Thursday, giving up two runs - only one earned - and four hits against players from the St. Lucie and Gulf Coast League Mets using just 67 pitches.

He threw 39 in the first 2 innings and 50 overall for strikes. Martinez struck out three and walked none, but hit a batter.

So, he may be lacking in the control department yet, but his fastballs averaged 86-88 mph and even moved down and out. Pedro-style.

Look for Martinez to make his first start for St. Lucie early next week, possibly even Tuesday.

[New York Times]