There’s been a lot of talk about Pedro Martinez due to his showing in the World Baseball Classic. The interest in the pitcher has not been very high right now; however, one would think that more teams would give him a closer look.
The Orioles need more veteran arms on the staff, and one must wonder has the organizations had discussion about him. Well, last week Peter Schmuck reported that Andy MacPhail and his staff have talked about the hurler; however, the Orioles don’t think they will need him.
The Orioles are shadowing some teams in the WBC — particularly Japan and Cuba — but they apparently are not aggressively pursuing more pitching at this time.
Although Pedro is not the same pitcher he was with the Red Sox in the first part of the decade, I still think he could be a force for any team that signs him. I would say that Martinez looked as if he was close to the end of the career — however, one must remember that he was trying to recover from several ailments, and more importantly, he was dealing with his father who was sick (that later lated passed away) during the season.
I’d say the man is a competitor and is still one heck of a finesse pitcher as evidenced during his apperances in the World Baseball Classic.
Is he good for Baltimore?
Maybe. He would sure teach the young pitchers how to go about their business on the mound and help with the psychological aspect, and as well, we all know that he has the experience. Plus, he could also assume a leadership role — sort of like what Kevin Millar did — and of course he’d bring in some press along with a certain buzz.
However, I’m sure most would wonder how his arm would hold up and if he could be part of a rebuilding project? Could he stand being on a potential losing squad? Could he act as a mentor to the staff and not only as a hired gun? Plus, I would think Andy MacPhail wants to see what the pitchers under the Oriole stable can do before reaching out to a free agent who may be past his prime.
As much as I would love to see Pedro in a Baltimore uniform — especially dueling against the Red Sox and Yankees — he’s a very poor fit.
