TUCSON — It’s Napoleon Dynamoot. Don’t Vote for Pedro.
The Mets are flirting with the idea of bringing back free-agent right-hander Pedro Martinez, a temptation they should fight with the intensity of Russell Crowe in “Gladiator.” Martinez is an old flame, so of course there’s an attraction. And he sure looks good right now, having worked six scoreless innings in the World Baseball Classic as Tim Redding dissolves before their eyes.
Fight the urge.
You see Martinez and remember him in his glory, bringing crowds to their feet as an eight-time all-star and three-time Cy Young Award winner. Did you forget that he maxed out your credit cards and couldn’t save you from paging Dr. Heimlich twice?
A healthy Martinez is a beast. A younger Martinez is an ace. He’s not really either anymore. Don’t even start with his work against the Netherlands. Martinez excelled, yes. Did that team have one legitimate major- league hitter? No.
He just finished a four-year, $52 million contract. For that price tag, the Mets received 32 wins.
Martinez wants John Smoltz money, $5.5 million guaranteed with incentives. He picked the wrong Hall of Famer. Tom Glavine money ($1 million guaranteed) would be more like it. Martinez has puffed-out chest pride. He’s not willing to swallow it. But at this point, he needs to pitch for pay.
He’s a fifth starter. That’s why Rockies fans have been e-mailing, wondering why Colorado doesn’t take a shot. He could help. But based on my conversation with owner Dick Monfort, the payroll is maxed.
Martinez deserves to finish on his own terms. Just not on his own financial terms. A reunion with the Dodgers at $500,000 with $5 million in incentives makes sense — not the Mets.
Taking the fifth.
Five — that’s the critical number to explaining why most Las Vegas oddsmakers believe the Rockies will win only 78 games. While most figure the offense will be better with rebounds from Troy Tulowitzki and Garrett Atkins, the rotation features three fifth starters: Jason Marquis, Jorge De La Rosa and likely Franklin Morales.
The reality is that Marquis needs a career year from the third spot in the rotation — 15 victories, 200 innings — and Morales must be electric. This isn’t an indictment of De La Rosa, but at this point he can’t be trusted. The only way the Rockies finish above .500 is if they dominate in starts at the end of the rotation.
“Seventy-eight wins? That would make us fourth in the (NL West),” outfielder Brad Hawpe said. “Are those ever right?”
It will be if the team doesn’t exceed pitching expectations.
Footnotes.
In a wait longer than his dreadlocks, the Dodgers’ Manny Ramirez will make his defensive debut today against the Rockies, starting in left field. In a division that had just a single player drive in more than 100 runs last season (San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez), it’s impossible to overstate the impact of a full season of ManRam. . . . Don’t be surprised if, when turning over a rock, you find Padres GM Kevin Towers. He’s searching for a starter, so expect him to be active when pitchers get cut this month. Jason Jennings could be a fit if he doesn’t stick with Texas.
