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07-15-2009, 08:21 PM
Pedro’s happy he’s a Phillie
By Jorge Castillo
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
A happy Pedro Martinez was introduced as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies at a noon press conference at Citizens Bank Park today and took questions from the media in the typical manner the baseball world has grown accustomed to from the future Hall of Famer: serious but with plenty of jokes and laughs.
The 37-year-old signed a major-league deal to finish the season with the club for a base salary of $1 million and the potential of $1.5 million more with incentives. He was also placed on the 15-day DL for a "mild shoulder strain," although it's just so he can rehab his way up to the big leagues.
"I'm really pleased and really happy to be here and I'm looking forward to making this happen and seeing how much help I can to this organization," said Martinez, who admitted he narrowed his potential employers to National league clubs because he wants to win a World Series in the National League to go with his 2004 World Series ring in the American League with Boston Red Sox.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner last pitched in the majors last season for the New York Mets where he finished the season an un-Pedro-like 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA.
"It hasn't been easy for me, I don't like to make excuses, I gave it up the last few years. I wasn't the same Pedro Martinez that you are accustomed to seeing," said Martinez, who pointed out that he had surgery and was dealing with his ailing father and his death last season. "I think I was too brave sometimes, I was stupid sometimes for pitching and not in the regular health I should've been in.
"The last few years I have been horrible and I'm not saying horrible because of the results but because I didn't feel the way I wanted to feel. To be honest I wasn't the Pedro Martinez you are accustomed to seeing and I don't expect to be the same Pedro I was when I was 26. . . . This team needs a little help, very little help and I think I can supply it. I'm not gonna say all of it, but some of it."
For his career, one that has spanned 17 years and includes stops with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, Red Sox, and Mets, the Dominican right-hander is 214-99 with a 2.91 ERA.
"This was an important step for us as we get into the season to add some depth to our club and our starting rotation and we think we've done that with Pedro Martinez," said general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr., who also said Martinez can be back as soon as the 15-day DL stint is over if his rehab starts in the minors go well.
Martinez said he was "picky" about which team to play for and that several teams had interest but he didn't reciprocate because of the team's level of competitiveness or bad feelings towards the club, or because they offered him a minor-league deal instead of the major-league contract.
At the same time, thoughts of retirement crossed his mind.
"A lot time it crossed my mind, 'What am I doing working so much'," he said in Spanish. "But at the same time, the summer was passing by I was thinking I wasn't OK with spending it at home, and sometimes I would think 'What am I doing here.' I feel like being healthy makes me go outside and play baseball and each time I realized what I had to offer I felt I was wasting a talent God has given me.
"But yeah, it crossed my mind and sometimes I thought I should just stay with my mom planting flowers," he added in his native tongue.
He also said he was waiting for the Mets to make him an offer but none came from the Phillies' archrivals.
"I was hoping that the Mets would make that move but they didn't and I decided to wait," he said. "I was hoping some teams in contention would pull the trigger and come. I knew that eventually one of those teams was going to need pitching by this time."
Martinez said he's not disappointed with how his time ended with the Mets and understood it as business and holds no grudges against the organization - much to the chagrin of the Phillies faithful.
"I wish them well, I really wish them well," he said. "I don't have anything bad to say."
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20090715_Pedros_happy_hes_a_Phillie.html
By Jorge Castillo
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
A happy Pedro Martinez was introduced as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies at a noon press conference at Citizens Bank Park today and took questions from the media in the typical manner the baseball world has grown accustomed to from the future Hall of Famer: serious but with plenty of jokes and laughs.
The 37-year-old signed a major-league deal to finish the season with the club for a base salary of $1 million and the potential of $1.5 million more with incentives. He was also placed on the 15-day DL for a "mild shoulder strain," although it's just so he can rehab his way up to the big leagues.
"I'm really pleased and really happy to be here and I'm looking forward to making this happen and seeing how much help I can to this organization," said Martinez, who admitted he narrowed his potential employers to National league clubs because he wants to win a World Series in the National League to go with his 2004 World Series ring in the American League with Boston Red Sox.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner last pitched in the majors last season for the New York Mets where he finished the season an un-Pedro-like 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA.
"It hasn't been easy for me, I don't like to make excuses, I gave it up the last few years. I wasn't the same Pedro Martinez that you are accustomed to seeing," said Martinez, who pointed out that he had surgery and was dealing with his ailing father and his death last season. "I think I was too brave sometimes, I was stupid sometimes for pitching and not in the regular health I should've been in.
"The last few years I have been horrible and I'm not saying horrible because of the results but because I didn't feel the way I wanted to feel. To be honest I wasn't the Pedro Martinez you are accustomed to seeing and I don't expect to be the same Pedro I was when I was 26. . . . This team needs a little help, very little help and I think I can supply it. I'm not gonna say all of it, but some of it."
For his career, one that has spanned 17 years and includes stops with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, Red Sox, and Mets, the Dominican right-hander is 214-99 with a 2.91 ERA.
"This was an important step for us as we get into the season to add some depth to our club and our starting rotation and we think we've done that with Pedro Martinez," said general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr., who also said Martinez can be back as soon as the 15-day DL stint is over if his rehab starts in the minors go well.
Martinez said he was "picky" about which team to play for and that several teams had interest but he didn't reciprocate because of the team's level of competitiveness or bad feelings towards the club, or because they offered him a minor-league deal instead of the major-league contract.
At the same time, thoughts of retirement crossed his mind.
"A lot time it crossed my mind, 'What am I doing working so much'," he said in Spanish. "But at the same time, the summer was passing by I was thinking I wasn't OK with spending it at home, and sometimes I would think 'What am I doing here.' I feel like being healthy makes me go outside and play baseball and each time I realized what I had to offer I felt I was wasting a talent God has given me.
"But yeah, it crossed my mind and sometimes I thought I should just stay with my mom planting flowers," he added in his native tongue.
He also said he was waiting for the Mets to make him an offer but none came from the Phillies' archrivals.
"I was hoping that the Mets would make that move but they didn't and I decided to wait," he said. "I was hoping some teams in contention would pull the trigger and come. I knew that eventually one of those teams was going to need pitching by this time."
Martinez said he's not disappointed with how his time ended with the Mets and understood it as business and holds no grudges against the organization - much to the chagrin of the Phillies faithful.
"I wish them well, I really wish them well," he said. "I don't have anything bad to say."
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20090715_Pedros_happy_hes_a_Phillie.html