Sunday, September 21, 2008By Mike Steffanos
Game 154: Braves 4 - Mets 2
With 19 starts under his belt and the season winding down, I think it's fair to say that the Pedro Martinez that we've been seeing is likely to be the only Pedro we're going to get this year.
While I certainly am not laying yesterday's loss at his feet -- after all, he provided what was essentially the Mets entire offense in the game -- I think it's fair to say that I don't expect him to pitch well going into any game. Basically, a Pedro start is equivalent to a Brandon Knight start at this point. I just hope he pitches well enough to keep them in the game, and I hope the offense is on that day.
Pedro certainly kept them in the game against a diminished Atlanta attack, but the offense was nowhere to be found.
It's unfair to single anyone out, but the Mets may have trouble even limping into the playoffs if Ryan Church doesn't find his stroke. With the loss of Tatis, the Mets just don't have anyone who can provide pop that they feel comfortable about in RF. Maybe giving Endy a start and Church a day off might be in order.
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Comments (2)
It's looking awful bretheren, but if we keep hope alive, we might just get what we want out of these guys. It's sudden death, the last round up, for all the marbles. I just keep wanting to believe they can pull it out. I thought sure they would roll over the Bravos after Friday night's offensive run. Alas, me thinks I was bewithed and fallen victim to my wanning yerns.....lol. Look it might just come down to the last two games (they are at home) and they just might have a role reversal with Philly from last year. Oooops did I mention 07. LETS GO METS!
Posted by L.J.Phipps | September 22, 2008 4:29 PM
Frank Tanana; Robin Roberts; Kevin Appier. Or, a worse case, Jim Bouton.
There have been plenty of useful second acts in baseball history, former hard throwers whose competitive juices were enough to see them into a survival-mandated adjustment and eventually to more wins. I could see Pedro becoming another case study.
But you are exactly right, he wouldn't be the Pedro of old, not by a mile. And I don't expect the transformation to take place this year. It will come, if it is to come, during the off season when Pedro takes stock of what he has left, and decides whether he wishes to continue at a lesser level -- and in all likelihood with another team.
Posted by dd | September 23, 2008 9:01 AM