"Everything is a possibility"

Pedro Martinez had one of the best seven year runs out of any pitcher in Major League history. In 1997 though 2003 he put up the following numbers:

118 - 36 record
6.4 H/9
13.3 homers allowed per season average
2.01 BB/9
11.26 K/9
5.59 K/BB
2.20 ERA
3 times a sub .200 BAA and 6 times sub .217 BAA

Pedro is a first ballot Hall of Famer who was coming off an unprecedented seven year run that in this era of the long ball. Every single number is jaw dropping if it was for one year, but to do it over a seven year span is incomprehensible. I think it is safe to say we may never see that type of domination again at the rate that this game is going with balls leaving the ever shrinking ball parks at an alarming rate. Did Pedro experience a drop off in 2004? Eventually that was going to happen. Pedro could not sustain his crazy K/9 ratios that he posted of 13.20, 11.78, 12.57 and 10.79 in consecutive years. He's never started more than 33 games a season and matched that season high in 2004. His K/9 was only down 1 K/9 off his career average, his BB/9 was only .12 higher than his career average, and his K/BB was down .59 off his career average. He did give up 26 homeruns, but also did so in 1998 and gave up 21 in 1995 (Randy Johnson's career high is 30 allowed and topped 20 seven times). Out of the eleven years he's been a starting pitcher, he's posted a K/9 over 10.00 five times a sub 10.00 six times so the fact he has posted below a 10.00 does not alarm me in any way.

Of course Pedro is on a downturn in his career, but Pedro is still a dominating force. He was the most dominating player on the planet over those seven years so now he is downgraded from best pitcher on the planet to one of the top five pitchers in the National League and the top pitcher in the NL East. Martinez's declining numbers will still put all but a handful pitchers behind him and the Mets finally have an ace. Everyday I like this more and more.

If you are going to try and tell me Hudson is the best pitcher in the NL East, you could certainly argue that point. But his K/9 has went from a career high in 1999 of 8.71 to a career low 4.91 (Pedro's was almost double) in 2004. His K/BB is a decent 2.34 (Pedro's was 1.38 higher) and his BAA against since 2001 is .245, .263, .223, and .267 (Pedro's was .238, .198, .215, and .238). His H/9 in 2004 was 9.3 and on his career he has a 8.2 mark (Pedro's was 8 in 2004 and his career is 6.8). Tim Hudson is one of today's premier pitchers and one of my most favorite to watch, but he's still not Pedro Martinez. Even Pedro's worst year compares favorably with Tim Hudson's career average. Hudson helps the Braves for sure, but he will not be the equalizer.

Beyond the numbers Pedro energizes the organization. So much so there are rumblings or Carlos Beltran.

"Everything is a possibility," one high-ranking Mets official insisted yesterday.

According to the article, the Mets plan to lay low until the end and try and snatch him up if the price is right and Omar may just feel emboldened enough to try and make it his best shot.

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This was a classic excerpt from Pedro's press conference yesterday..this is not verbatim, but you get the idea.

Reporter: Pedro you started 33 games last year which tied a career high, and yet all this talk has was centered on your shoulder. Why do you think that is?

Pedro: Because of the crap that you guys speak..next question.

If you have not listened to them, you should. Pedro and Omar did a great job and you can listen to them at MetsBlog.com or MetsDaily.com both of whom do a tremendous job getting these audio clips up so quickly.

The Angels added Morales to their 40-man roster and designated right-hander Bobby Jenks for assignment. Jenks, the Angels' fifth-round pick in 2000, only made three appearances for Triple-A Salt Lake last year before being shut down in June with elbow problems.

Hmm....worth a shot for sure. This guy can toss it into the 100s with regularity.

Jim Dolan and Cablesvision's petty dispute was denied.

I'm not going to comment on the Big Unit until that deal is done.