Read the debate intro and Sports Geek’s argument that the signing of Pedro is not a move for the Phillies .
Last week, a deal was finalized to bring Pedro Martinez to the Philadelphia Phillies. Depending on who you ask, the deal is a one year deal for slightly less than $1M, with up to $1.275 million worth of incentives. Bleacher Fan has asked proof as to why signing Pedro is a good move for the Philadelphia Phillies.
No one, not even Pedro, thinks that he is the same pitcher from, say, 1999 when he went 23-4 with a 2.07 ERA with 313 strikeouts. Martinez, who without question is a future Hall of Famer, has a career record of 214-99 with an ERA under three. That’s just ridiculous!
It’s an extremely low risk/high reward move for the Phillies. The Phillies are one of the few teams in today’s baseball market where adding payroll is not really an issue. They are averaging over 44,000 fans per game at hitter friendly (a huge understatement) Citizens Bank Park, so the revenue is constantly flowing.
The Phillies starting rotation, which has pitched much better in the past three weeks, still needed and possibly still needs improvement. Presumed ace Cole Hamels is not close to the pitcher he was last year. Jamie Moyer will be drawing social security soon. Joe Blanton has found out it’s a LOT tougher to pitch in Philadelphia than it is in Oakland. All three of those guys, the supposed top three starters in the rotation, have an ERA over four. Youngster J.A. Happ, who is 7-0 with a 2.68 ERA, has been a real bright spot, but he has been floated around in trade rumors (most notably involving Roy Halladay). And Rodrigo Lopez, the fifth starter, has pitched decently but he is just two years removed from Tommy John surgery. As you can tell, there is definitely more than enough room for Don Zimmer’s sparring partner. Surely, the reason Phillies management signed Martinez is because they realized that even though they have an offense loaded with talent, it will be nearly impossible to repeat as champions with the way the starting rotation has pitched to this point in the season.
Martinez pitched in a simulated game on Tuesday. He threw 64 pitches in four innings and struck out six. After the game, Pedro said that he felt “real, real good.” Now, I will agree that I wouldn’t expect him to go out and say “I felt horrible, my arm is sore, and I can’t do it.” But 64 pitches in four innings is a good start, and once that arm is stretched out, maybe he can go six innings and throw 90 pitches. That would be exceptional for the Phillies, and would make this signing an absolute bargain.
Just ask yourself… at this point, what do the Phillies have to lose? Nothing! Yet, they have everything to gain!
