04/18/24
November 24, 2004
Mets join Martinez chase: The Mets have joined the table in the hunt for Pedro Martinez. Over the weekend, the Mets conveyed to the free agent that they had significant interest in signing him, multiple baseball sources said yesterday. Now that the Mets' internal interest, which was first learned from a National League executive late last week, has become known to Martinez, it makes them the third team to be identified as a suitor for the three-time Cy Young award-winner. Other teams contacted Martinez soon after he filed for free agency earlier this month, but the Mets' recent entry introduces a wealthy candidate for Martinez' services in a market that has been slow to develop and has been relatively quiet until the Yankees got into the action last week. In addition to positive comments about Martinez from manager Joe Torre, catcher Jorge Posada and shortstop Alex Rodriguez, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner met personally with Martinez in Tampa.
Oh, please please please let the Mets get him. Please.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:09 PM on November 24, 2004
I hope Steinbrenner eventually get it in his head that Pavano would be the better option at this point in their respective careers.
posted by crank at 08:59 PM on November 24, 2004
"I want respect, affection and the best possible treatment. I am not requesting anything that Pedro Martinez does not deserve. The people do not understand that when you enter free agency, you can go to the highest bidder." - pedro martinez God, he deserves the mets.
posted by justgary at 09:35 PM on November 24, 2004
That quote is priceless. Go Mets Go!
posted by dusted at 10:21 PM on November 24, 2004
Oh the demise of Pedro is overstated. Sure he's a 7 inning-or-100-pitch guy now, but he's still one of the very best. If the Mets 'overpay' they'll still be getting a front rotation 200 inning stud. Pavano's trajectory points him to even better numbers (and on a Red Sox or Yankees team, he's a potential 20 game winner for sure), but so far he's had one good season. Let's not put him in the same league as Pedro in terms of value yet.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:42 AM on November 25, 2004
I wouldn't put Pavano on the same level as Pedro yet either. The thing is I wouldn't feel comfortable giving Pedro 4 years/$60 million. Pavano's best years are ahead of him, and while Pedro is hardly washed up, his best years are behind him. The Yankees need to get younger (Kevin Brown), more reliable (Vasquez, Brown) starting pitching to take some stress off their bullpen.
posted by crank at 09:29 AM on November 25, 2004
I find it amusing how Yankee fans are now screaming re-build! Youth! long-term! and the owner is screaming re-load! Usually it's the other way around.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:41 AM on November 25, 2004
It's not really about relaod v. rebuild as much as it is about making the better decision. Steinbrenner has to get it out of his head that signing Pedro will somehow 'hurt' the Redsox. In reality it'll just leave them with more cash to go out and get Pavano. Whether they get Pavano, Martinez or neither, the rest of the NY roster won't change much... The fact that the Mets haven't expressed an interest in Pavano should be taken as a sign by all the GMs of other teams that they should sign him at all cost.
posted by crank at 11:32 AM on November 25, 2004
I don't think the reason that the Yankees want to sing Pedro is to hurt Boston, but to make the team pitching roster better besides Pedro Martinez is one of the best and we all know that, so I advise crank to get that 'hurt’ Boston stuff out of his mind.
posted by LROD at 01:52 PM on November 25, 2004
``Alex gave Pedro the pitch, he told him what the Yankees are about, how Joe Torre runs things, about the clubhouse atmosphere and what's expected,'' Martinez' agent, Fernando Cuza, said. Now how's that!, they are friends now.
posted by LROD at 03:35 PM on November 25, 2004
you need the visual for the above.
posted by gspm at 04:58 PM on November 25, 2004
Well thanks, but I'll decline your advice lrod. I still maintain that ny can make their starting rotation better without giving Pedro $60 million.
posted by crank at 10:20 PM on November 25, 2004
Would Pedro need to get a haircut if he joined the Yankees? Because, if so, I hope he joins the Mets.
posted by Joey Michaels at 04:13 AM on November 26, 2004
Assumption: Steinbrenner knows exactly what he's doing - i.e., he simply wants to drive up Pedro's price and doesn't really want him. And, Prediction: Pedro stays in Boston for more than he's worth.
posted by sixpacker at 08:56 PM on November 26, 2004
Now the Yankees are suddenly praising Pedro Martinez, I wonder how Don Simer sees all this after Pedro Martinez made him kiss the grass, one thing is for sure this guy is going to make a ton of money. Can somebody guess what team is going to end up with Pedro and is he worth it?. A Yankee fan wants to know.