Results tagged “Pedro Martinez” from The Southpaw

It's tough to be the greatest Yankee of all time when you have to compete against these two.

For the past few days, The Southpaw has tried to find a reason to defend Chris Rose, the host of Fox's pregame show during the World Series.
You see, Rose made a mistake of monumental proportions and we here at The Southpaw can't figure out why.
Maybe Rose got caught up in the moment.
Maybe a producer fed him the line and he didn't think about it before speaking aloud.
Maybe he was dropped down a flight of stairs at birth.
Even if all three of those things happened, there's no excuse for what he asked during the Game 5 telecast: Is Derek Jeter the greatest Yankee of all time?
Even if Rose hadn't heard of Lou Gehrig or Joe DiMaggio, the question still wasn't defensible.
He has to have heard of Babe Ruth. Right? Otherwise, would he be qualified to even be on the set?
Asking the Jeter question is like asking if the Earth rotates around Venus.
So, this Top 10 list is dedicated to Chris Rose.
It is the 10 greatest Yankees of all time.

One bad inning kept the Phillies from going home with a 2-0 lead.
Don't blame the bullpen, blame the bad defense.
However, the World Champs still have Cliff Lee waiting and home field advantage.
But you have to give a very talented Dodgers team some much deserved credit.

The Onion makes us laugh at the Yankees.
Zack Grienke is really good and finishing strongly.
Oh and aren't the Phillies glad they didn't sign Soriano?

A six man rotation. You've got to be kidding? Or stupid.
Seriously, somebody better buy me this shirt for Christmas.

Today's most shocking news, Christian Slater is 40.
Which makes Jamie Moyer seem not so old. Speaking of the veteran Southpaw, he dominated Monday.
Cole Hamels had better watch out. His rotation spot might be in jeopardy.

It was a night of stars.
Pedro in Wrigley. Albert in St. Louis. The Kid in Seattle. Josh Beckett heating up Beantown.

Look, if the entire Pittsburgh Pirates roster were to be annexed by the Philadelphia Phillies, there isn't one player who would get significant playing time for the World Champs other than Zach Duke.
And even then, he'd be the Phils eighth starter.
But Vladimir Guerrero sure has put up some numbers in his career.

Don't overreact.
Don't overreact? Are you kidding me? The Philadelphia Phillies are World Champs - a phrase we're still joyiously getting used to - and they just picked up the reigning American League Cy Young winner.
Don't overreact. He's not Roy Halladay.
That's true, he's younger and cheaper. But he did win 20 games last year.
Yeah, and he's 7-9 this season.
Big woop, he could have easily won 10 to 12. He's got a 3.14 ERA this year and leads the American League in innings pitched.
Boy, you're excited.
Of course I'm excited. WE'RE GOING TO WIN THE WORLD SERIES.
Hey now, simmer down. Wait a minute, did you just use the word "we?" Are you going to pitch for the Phillies?
Sorry about that. Got carried away there. As far as me pitching for the Phillies, well, they seem to be high on southpaws. They do have four left-handed starters now.
Speaking of don't you think that's dangerous? So many lefties. How are they going to contain Manny Ramirez or Alfonso Soriano?
Yeah, I'm concerned about having the reigning AL Cy Young winner, the reigning World Series MVP, a rookie with a 7-1 record, and Jamie Moyer, who's got 10 wins or more for five straight seasons. Plus he's 4-1 with a 3.30 ERA in his last five starts. I don't know how they're going to compete. It's going to be so much tougher now. Seriously, though.
Remember the last time you got this confident? When you thought Freddy Garcia or even Kevin Millwood were going to lead you to the promised land? Where did they take you?
None of those guys joined the Phillies after winning 20 games, let alone the Cy Young. Sure, there's a risk here, but at least the Phillies didn't give up a lot.
Oh no. Just last season you talked about how Jason Donald, Carlos Carrasco and Lou Marsen as being the future of the organization.
Are you kidding me? The future is now. What's Jason Donald, the next Mickey Morandini? At worst, Marsen is the next Mike Lieberthal or Carrasco the Next Brett Myers. Most people are scared Jason Knapp is going to be a staple in the Indians' rotation. But he's at least three years away. By that time Kyle Drabek will be anchoring the rotation and Happ should still be around.
So you're not counting on the Phillies still packaging Happ and Drabek to the Blue Jays for The Good Doctor?

Chris Woodward lays down a sacrifice bunt Tuesday. Who says the American League doesn't play small ball?
This time, Omar gets a public spanking.
Mark Buehrle continues to impress, even in a loss.
The regional teams get set for the trade deadline.

Sure, Ryan Howard is exciting, and Mark McGwire held our attention, but no player made our jaws drop with the regularity of Ken Griffey Jr.
Some players change you.
You stop what your doing - even halting your breath - when they're on the field.
The way they move, be it the uncanny precision and frightening velocity with which they hurl a baseball, the way they scamper about the basepaths, making the outfielders irrelevant, or they way they can pummel a baseball into the farthest reaches of reality, grips your soul.
And when their careers pass on you sort through your collection of memories and find that their exploits make you smile. Maybe even bring a tear to your eye.
They are the most exciting players you ever saw.

We're going to be very abbreviated this morning.
Consider it more of a bullpen session.
Here's the big news:

Slowly slipping under the Pedro/Halladay/All-Star game radar is this story. Pete Rose' reinstatement is still under consideration.

It's interesting that there was no mention of this during the game.

The World Champs are taking their chances with Pedro.

As for All-Star game coverage, we think you should read Tom Verducci's story about the NL's futility.

Sure, the home run derby is the Snickers of baseball events, but we love the sugar rush.
Even though Big Mac, Sammy, and so many of the sluggers of recent memory are tinged with steroid allegations, there have been some memorable nights from players who haven't been touched with the dirt of PED's.
We think of Ken Griffey Jr. bashing one off the warehouse at Camden Yards.
Speaking of former stars, we have to talk about the big news story of the day.
According to several reports, Pedro Martinez is on his way to a physical. If he passes it, he will be headed to the World Champions.
If you want to read our thoughts on Pedro joining the Phillies, click here.
Now, back to the sugary goodness.

Several reports are saying three-time Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez has signed with the Phillies.
However, the general manager says that's not the case.
John Heyman says the answer will come by Sunday.
In other Phillies news, Shane Victorino earned a trip to the All-Star team.
The Detroit TIgers' Brandon Inge is the last player added to the American League.

The All-Star game has given us many memorable moments. Pete Rose barreling over Ray Fosse, Pete Rose getting ambushed by Jim Grey in the 1999 All-Star game. OK, not every memory surrounds Charlie Hustle.
Reggie Jackson hammered a ball out of Tiger Stadium. Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio shared the outfield. As did Aaron and Mays.
So with all that history, what are the greatest performances in All-Star history?
Well, The Southpaw's done some work and here they are.

Pedro Martinez, who led the Boston Red Sox to the promised land, could be joining the team that occupies that sacred ground.
That's right, the Philadelphia Phillies are inexplicably scouting Pedro Martinez.
Sure, he won thre Cy Young awards. But he won 17 games the previous three seasons.
What's the benefit here?
Sure the staff has trouble, but unles Pedro is willing to pitch out of the pen, he doesn't bring much to the table.
Is he better than Joe Blanton, who the past two years has a lower ERA than Martinez does during the same span? No.
Is he better than Cole Hamels? Historically, yes. Currently, not even close.
Is he better than Jamie Moyer? Not really. They're both maxed out after 5-6 innings. They both will give up home runs.
Is he better than JA Happ? That's a tough question. Happ is young but he has been the Phillies most consistent starter. Since joining the rotation, Happ has gone six innings or more in five of eight starts. Pedro won't do that.
Now, as for the Phillies fifth starter. Pedro might be better than some of the rookies, but if the Phillies are going to contend for a long time, it might be more worth their while to have those young kids get some innings in.

Who was the last New York Mets pitcher to win 20 game?
A. Steve Trachsel
B. Al Leiter
C. David Cone
D. Dwight Gooding
E. Ron Darling

The Yanks are eyeing Pedro Martinez.
Patience is big right now in the Mid-Atlantic region.
And Trey Hillman says, "Be a man." And no, he's not talking to Chastity Bono.

We've got Pedro news.
Has anyone noticed Omar Vizquel is still suiting up?
Oh, and what are apecrackers?

Yer out! Casey Blake nips Ryan Roberts to get an out in Tuesday's Dodgers-Diamondbacks game. Joe Torre's squad rallied with a 5-run eighth to win.
Can a saint get demoted? In Washington they can.
Was it really six years ago that Sammy Sosa's bat shattered and cork flew out.
Happy birthday, Raul.

Talk about being overshadowed. Dom DiMaggio grew up in the same household as Joe DiMaggio, so that meant the bespectacled San Franciscan had a brother who hit in 56 consecutive games, married Marylin Monroe and became a baseball icon known as "The Greatest Living Ballplayer."
Then DiMaggio has to share the outfield with Ted Williams. All the Splendid Splinter did was become the last player to hit .400 for a full season, win not one but two triple crowns and become "The Best Hitter Who Ever Lived."
So Dom DiMaggio was towered over by two of the biggest legends in sports history.
Which makes it hard to put his career in perspective.