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Petey!

Farmer Ted Jun 05 2007 01:18 PM

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Sidelined Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez threw off a pitching mound Tuesday for the first time since he underwent rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder, Newsday reported. The newspaper reported Martinez threw 38 pitches off a mound in 90-degree heat at the Mets' training camp facility, in a session that lasted a total of 12 minutes. "He went into it with an understanding that he wasn't going to push it," Mets rehab pitching coach Randy Niemann told Newsday. "He wanted to be free and easy." Niemann told the newspaper that as long as Martinez feels good, his next bullpen session could be Friday. Martinez, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, went 9-8 with a 4.48 ERA last season in 23 starts before being sidelined with a calf injury. He underwent surgery Oct. 5 to repair a torn rotator cuff. He has a career 206-92 record with a 2.81 ERA and 2,998 strikeouts.

Centerfield Jun 05 2007 01:29 PM

I can't even tell you how excited I am about his possible return. I really miss Pedro.

metirish Jun 05 2007 01:46 PM

Centerfield wrote: I can't even tell you how excited I am about his possible return. I really miss Pedro. Dito.

martin Jun 05 2007 01:55 PM

when he joins the rotation, who leaves the rotation? i guess sele gets sent down and sosa takes his role in the bullpen.

Willets Point Jun 05 2007 02:38 PM

Let's see how well Pedro pitches prior to removing anyone from the rotation. Chickens before they hatch, ya know.

Farmer Ted Jun 05 2007 02:55 PM

more... PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -- Pedro Martinez threw off a mound Tuesday for the first time since rotator cuff surgery last fall, one of the major steps toward his goal of rejoining the New York Mets' starting rotation by August. The three-time Cy Young Award winner threw 31 pitches after warming up with seven throws. Before that, he threw on flat ground from 120 feet at the Mets' spring training complex. "I was very pleased with the way that it went," Martinez said. Mets rehabilitation pitching coordinator Randy Niemann gave Martinez a pat on the back. "For this stage, he looks very good," Niemann said. "I think he felt good, and that's what we all wanted to see out of him at this point." Martinez usually makes his long tosses from 230 feet, a sign that this is part of his recovery. He threw only fastballs to catcher Danny Cummins, a Brooklyn Cyclones player a year ago. "I wasn't really thinking about it," Martinez said. "More than anything, it's making sure that nothing happens." Martinez plans to throw again Friday. "We'll take every step as it goes," Niemann said. Niemann stopped Martinez after the 31 pitches. "He told me, You're done,"' Martinez said. "I was like, 'Wow, am I?' I was shocked." The 35-year-old righty was 9-8 with a 4.48 ERA last year as the Mets won the NL East for the first time since 1988. He missed the postseason but is heartened by the team's fast start this year. "I think the team's success makes me take it easier," Martinez said. "It helps me take my time to heal. I'm sure those guys are waiting for me to come back, but they want me to come back healthy."

metirish Jun 21 2007 07:30 AM

Forget the hyperbole form Klapisch ,Wagner's words interest me. ] Thursday, June 21, 2007 By BOB KLAPISCH RECORD COLUMNIST NEW YORK – It wasn't so long ago that Pedro Martinez was adrift in that no-man's land between the disabled list and retirement – still a member of the organization but in the outer limits of the Mets' consciousness. They weren't just surviving Pedro's absence, they were living large. The Mets owned New York, if not the National League, Tom Glavine was in the fast lane to 300 wins and the rest of the starting rotation made everyone forget the best pitcher at Shea was on a lonely marathon rehab program in Port St. Lucie, Fla. "Pedro who?" is what the Mets seemed to say without actually uttering those blasphemous words. Club officials were talking about him in the past tense, insisting they'd already gotten their money's worth from that four-year, $53 million contract – even though Pedro blew out his arm in just a year and a half. But that was before the Mets started self-destructing, not just on the field but internally as well. Suddenly, the Mets need Pedro to stabilize their rotation, but even more significantly, they need his charisma. "What's killing us is we don't have that energy on the field or in the clubhouse," is what Billy Wagner was saying during batting practice Wednesday. He was talking about the way the Mets have been pushed around lately, by the Dodgers, the Yankees, and by Johan Santana on Tuesday. It's hard to believe the current meltdown – they've lost 13 of 16 after Wednesday night's 6-2 loss to the Twins – would've been this long or this ugly if Pedro had been around. Wagner said as much when he noted, "We don't have that one guy in here who guys get all excited about. "Not even Glavine, the way he carries himself, does that. With Pedro, it's like his charisma rubs off on people. It's like, 'Yeah, Pedro's pitching today.' We could use that." Funny how a roster blessed with five-tool players (Carlos Beltran), as well as ones who are articulate (Carlos Delgado), enthusiastic (David Wright) and fun-loving (Jose Reyes) can look so dead. But Wagner's right, there's no mistaking the missing spark. As much as it carried the Mets through the 2006 season, its absence has cost them most of their first-place lead in 2007. That's where Pedro comes in. He's on schedule to return to Shea sometime in August, although no one's saying exactly when. Nor are the Mets crazy enough to think a rebuilt shoulder will mean Martinez will be throwing in the mid-90s again. Even after he returns, Martinez will be in the process of healing; he won't be at 100 percent until 2008. Still, that didn't stop Pedro from bragging recently that he could throw harder than Roger Clemens, even on the disabled list. That's Pedro being Pedro – part of the reason you either love him or loathe him. Still, his rehab is ahead of schedule, and regardless of his radar-gun readings, the Mets will be happy just to get five to six strong innings from him. It's an intoxicating thought for a rotation that has no ace lately. What remains to be seen is whether Martinez's return will impact Omar Minaya as the trade deadline approaches. So far, there've been casual, back-channel discussions with the White Sox about Mark Buehrle, and for good reason. The left-hander, who has averaged close to 16 wins a year for the last six seasons, will be a free agent this winter, and Chicago GM Kenny Williams wouldn't mind trading Buehrle at the July 31 deadline to a team that would end up renting him,. For a price, of course. Although Williams has yet to make a formal request of Minaya, the Mets assume they'd have to cough up Lastings Milledge and one of a handful of blue-chip prospects such as Mike Pelfrey or Phillip Humber for Buehrle and Jermaine Dye – with only a small probability of being able to sign Buehrle as a free agent. In essence, the Mets would be giving up Milledge's upside for two to three months of Buehrle – no small investment, if you believe Pedro is indeed coming back. Minaya is trying not to consider Martinez's health as a guarantee, but says, "If Pedro is even close before July 31, that's a comforting thought." The other issue is an overcrowded rotation. Assuming Pedro reclaims his mantle as the Mets' ace, where would Buehrle fit? Who would he replace? And do the Mets really want to trade Milledge this year, after failing to make a similar swap for Barry Zito in 2006? Insiders say it's unlikely Minaya will pay any kind of ransom for Buehrle, choosing instead to wait until Beltran heals, for Glavine to start hitting the corners again, for someone in the bullpen to take control of the eighth inning. The clock is ticking on Pedro, too. He'll start throwing to Class A hitters in Port St. Lucie in another few weeks, then work his way through the minor league system until the shoulder is strong enough for a Shea homecoming. It's been a long, miserable journey for Pedro; hours and days and weeks of monotonous exercises. You couldn't blame the Mets if they'd appeared to move on. But now they need Pedro more than ever, with or without his fastball. They'll take whatever Martinez has, as long as that irrepressible personality – funny, vain, melodramatic, passionate and crazy – comes along for the ride. E-mail: klapisch@northjersey.com

metirish Jul 20 2007 01:05 PM

So the ten day shutdown period for Pedro has long passed,any word on what's going on here with him?

Benjamin Grimm Jul 20 2007 01:10 PM

Small item in the Daily News today says that according to Omar, Pedro will throw a simulated game when he returns to the US from the DR and then he'll pitch in a minor league game. Nothing about a timetable, however.

metirish Jul 20 2007 01:22 PM

Yeah I read that which prompted my question,was surprised to learn he's in the DR.

TheOldMole Jul 20 2007 02:41 PM

Do you suppose a Mets rehab pitching coach gets much time off?

Benjamin Grimm Jul 21 2007 07:19 AM

Omar in the booth at Dodger Stadium with Gary and Ron during Friday night's game. Says anything the Mets get from Pedro this year is a bonus, and they're mainly focused on 2008. Huh? NOT what I was expecting to hear.

iramets Jul 21 2007 08:10 AM

I thought you never listened to what the Mets say. Omar was his usual verbose self, saying many words, few of which made actual, you know, sentences, but essentially it can all be boiled down to "It is what is, and que sera, sera," which we coulda told him. He may be a decent GM (and he may also not be) but he is one piss-poor interview.

Benjamin Grimm Jul 21 2007 09:13 AM

Yawn!

metirish Jul 21 2007 09:50 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jul 21 2007 10:48 AM

iramets wrote: I thought you never listened to what the Mets say. Omar was his usual verbose self, saying many words, few of which made actual, you know, sentences, but essentially it can all be boiled down to "It is what is, and que sera, sera," which we coulda told him. He may be a decent GM (and he may also not be) but he is one piss-poor interview. Omar is a brutal interview,he can't even put two sentences together.Last night though he seemed especially poor,maybe the flight got to him.

iramets Jul 21 2007 10:46 AM

metirish wrote: ="iramets"]I thought you never listened to what the Mets say. Omar was his usual verbose self, saying many words, few of which made actual, you know, sentences, but essentially it can all be boiled down to "It is what is, and que sera, sera," which we coulda told him. He may be a decent GM (and he may also not be) but he is one piss-poor interview. Omar is a vrutal interview,he can't even put two sentences together.Last night though he seemed especially poor,maybe the flight got to him. Please stop, Irish. You're boring poor Yancy to death.

*62 Jul 21 2007 05:16 PM

I'm guessing that Sosa is a good candidate for a trip to N'Awlins.

Frayed Knot Jul 21 2007 05:23 PM

Or the pen ... replacing Sele? But any decision like that is still several weeks away (at least)

Edgy DC Jul 21 2007 05:27 PM

Fans demand quicker decisions than management gives them, it seems.

smg58 Jul 22 2007 07:45 AM

Sosa has pitched well out of the pen in the past, so I'd see him going there before being demoted.

Elster88 Jul 23 2007 05:32 PM

]General manager Omar Minaya said last week that Martinez had thrown 60 pitches in the Dominican Republic on Thursday. But it seemed the club was not aware of that episode until well after it happened. The club had said in July, following a simulated game, that Martínez would suspend his rehab program for a week to 10 days, a break prescribed by the club's medical staff. [url]http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070723&content_id=2104230&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym[/url]