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September 29, 2006

Pedro Goes Down

I hated to see Pedro Martinez leave Boston, particularly in the wake of Boston's 2004 World Series championship. But when the Mets offered a guaranteed fourth year, I thought that Theo Epstein was right to let Pedro go, and events thus far have proven me right, particularly in light of the announcement he cannot play for the Mets in this year's playoffs, reducing the Mets from probable pennant-winners to probable also-rans.

Since going to the Mets, Pedro has put up the following lines:
2004: 15-8, 2.82 ERA, 217 IP
2005: 9-8, 4.48 ERA, 132.2 IP

Ironically, had he been able to flip those lines, the Mets would be much better off, as last year he probably could have pitched in the playoffs but didn't have to because the Mets didn't make it. Now the Mets will be without their biggest gun for the postseason, and who knows what Pedro will be able to do next year. He's an amazing pitcher when he's healthy, and as Red Sox fans remember from 1999, even when he's hurt he's pretty damn amazing. But he's injury-prone and getting older, so these kinds of injuries are only likely to get worse over the next two years of his contract.

Still, I take no pleasure in being proved right. Pedro was a great guy to have on our team for the seven years he spent in Boston, and I'm grateful for every start he made for us. I would have been very happy to see him go on to more success with the Mets, and I still wouldn't mind seeing the Mets somehow win the Series this year so he can earn a second ring. One of the most painful things about baseball is that it gives us an ugly reminder of our slow trek to the reaper, as a man who was one of the greatest pitchers of his age, if not of all time, slowly succumbs to the indignities of age.