Pedro Signs with Phillies

By David Ferraro
July 16, 2009

The Philadelphia Phillies have taken a chance on veteran starting pitcher Pedro Martinez, signing him to a one year deal on Wednesday.

Martinez, has been a free agent since his disappointing 2008 season with the New York Mets. It was a season filled with injuries and saw Martinez get tagged with a career high 5.61 ERA and 1.57 WHIP, and earning him his first ever losing season with a 5-6 record.

The 37 year old pitcher did not garner much interest from major league teams through the free agent market, and pitched this past March in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic to try to raise his stock. However, the Dominican Republic was knocked out of the tournament early and Martinez only pitched six innings. He did impressively in the short stint, recording six strikeouts without a walk.

However, even Martinez acknowledges that there is no way his aging body can return to its prime. "I don't expect to be the same Pedro that I was when I was 26," Martinez told reporters. "There's a lot of innings I've pitched since then. It's not the same, but I still feel like I can still bring something to the table."

The eight time all-star and three time Cy Young award winner was the most dominating pitcher of the late 90s.

However, his four years with the Mets were full of setbacks and disappointments. He hopes to rewrite the last chapter of his career with the Phillies, who are at the top of the NL East and hoping to repeat as World Series champions.

The Phillies had Martinez throw a few simulated games and gave him a full physical examination before the signing due to concerns about the veteran's health. Martinez told reporters that if he does have another injury setback, he will go into retirement.

Currently, the Phillies are atop the NL East but are still struggling to pull away in a lackluster division partly due to a depleted rotation. That includes veteran Brett Myers, who is out for the season following hip surgery.