Pedro Martinez to Debut with the Phillies on Wednesday

Also featured on Rotoprofessor.com!

In case you’ve been living in a box, or already switched gears to football season, the long-awaited debut of Pedro Martinez in a Philadelphia Phillies (it feels weird to type that up!) uniform will be made tomorrow against the Chicago Cubs, at Wrigley Field.  The Professor already discussed the usability of Martinez, so I won’t go into that too much.

In three rehab starts for the Phillies, Martinez allowed seven ER in 12.1 IP.  He fanned 16 and allowed nine hits, pitching in all three levels of the Phillies’ minor league system.  In his final start for double-A Reading, Martinez threw six innings, allowed three ER on five H, and struckout 11.

The key for Martinez will be utilizing his offspeed pitches down in the zone.  He no longer throws with the same velocity he once had, and he won’t be able to get away with overpowering hitters anymore. 

If he wants to make an impact this year, pinpoint location of his pitches and consistent arm action on offspeed offerings are key.

In 2007-08 season, Martinez allowed a .338 AVG against his fastball.  Thus, keeping that changeup and curveball down is key; when it was above waist high opponents batted .368 and slugged .773. 

When his offspeed stuff was down in the zone, opponents hit just .225 and slugged .300.  If he’s able to keep his hitters off balance, he could be worth a try in fantasy leagues.

Martinez is smart enough to get by without dominating stuff, I don’t doubt that.  It’ll be fun to see the transformation of his pitching style.  Throughout his career he’s been thought of as a power pitcher, but now at 37-years-old he won’t be throwing in mid-90s any longer. 

Pitching well against minor leaguers, who are in their upper teens or low twenties is one thing, but translating some of this minor league success against major leaguers is another beast to tame.  I wouldn’t count on him to be that great this year, but there’s always the off chance he is. 

He has the ability to rack up wins with the Phillies, but give him a few starts to see whether or not his other numbers are serviceable enough.

The fallout from this promotion is Jamie Moyer heading to the bullpen, which has absolutely no fantasy relevance.  Having made 606 career starts in the major leagues, is this almost the end of the line for the 46-year-old Moyer?  Will he now become an elite lefty out of the pen? 

I seriously doubt that, but it will be interesting to see what the Phillies do with him, as he has one more year left on his contract.  He had a 5.47 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP this season, so it’s about time the Phillies canned him from the rotation.

What do you guys think of this move?  Will Martinez find some of that old magic and be usable down the stretch?

What’s Wrong with Cole Hamels?

The Philadelphia Phillies need to take a page from the New York Yankees’ playbook.

Given a home series with the floundering Florida Marlins, the Phillies proceeded to screw the pooch over the weekend and watch their seven-game division lead fade to four, after a three-game Marlin sweep.

Meanwhile, the Yankees’ strangled their bitter rivals, the Boston Red Sox, taking four from the Sawx with timely hitting and fabulous pitching, thereby securing a firm hold of the division lead.

Speaking of pitching, what has become of Phillies’ ace Cole Hamels, who got lit up again this weekend and fell to seven-seven on the year?

The California Goldenboy who brought Rocktober back to Philadelphia by leading the Phillies to a World Championship last season has been remarkably pedestrian thus far this season. What’s up?

Is Hamels satisfied after signing for $20.5 million guaranteed this offseason?  Yes, he avoided arbitration and got his money earlier than expected, but one expects his next contract to be a monster compared to the $6.6 million he gets next year and $9.5 million in 2011.

Is he pissed off that the Phils signed fellow lefty Cliff Lee to be another horse in the rotation? 

Hamels was making some progress over the last few games before the Lee signing and went all to hell ever since.  However, one can’t imagine that Hamels minds having another stopper in the rotation to take some of the pressure off.

So what is it? Wife Heidi Strobel has a baby on the way, and they just bought a new $2.2 million mansion to house the newest Hamels…is that it? 

Or is it too much time on the banquet rounds after winning his NLDS and World Series MVP trophies, which Cole alluded to earlier in the season.

One thing is for sure, if the Phillies can’t get the Cole Hamels of October 2008 back sometime soon, a back-to-back World Series dream will fade into never never land.

The Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum: Feeling Like You’re 10 Again

Like any rites of passage, the day I turned ten-years-old was a big day in my life.  Though I was still unable to vote, drive, or join the army, I was now eligible to participate in a tradition far more important.

As I flipped the calendar from age nine to 10, I was finally old enough to try out for Little League.  Up until now, I had played a few dozen neighborhood games of ball, but was always the last guy picked.

I was lacking in several critical areas that “the scouts” seemed to pick up on, including the ability to hit, throw or field a ball. I was the proverbial zero tool player.

With the help of my two, extremely patient, Little League coaches, I soon learned to hold a bat without having my arms crossed and how to throw like a boy.  I mastered fielding a grounder without moving to the side and how to get under a fly without covering my head for safety.

But, there was a lesson taught that was far more important than learning how to throw or hit or field.  A lesson taught to each and every Little Leaguer since it’s inception 70 years ago; to win gracefully and lose with dignity.

So, when I had an opportunity to speak to Janice L. Ogurcak, Director of the Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, I felt as if I was speaking more to one of my teachers than to the curator of a museum. 

“Most of our visitors come from far away”, explained Ogurcak, who became the museums director in 2005.  “We get visitors of all ages from all places, each remembering what Little League meant to them.”

“Our senior citizen guests especially come in and tell us what a really important impact Little League had on the rest of their lives.”

Ogurcak is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operation of the museum, which has about 30,000 visitors each year.   She and her staff are responsible for maintenance of the many Little League artifacts, rotation of exhibits, special events, the museum gift shop and educational programs.

The museum is part of the Little League International Complex and offers interactive exhibits, which use a hands on approach to teach about the history of Little League.

The museum chronicles the growth of the league from one, three-team league in 1939 to the multi-national youth sporting organization that it is today.

Directly behind the museum is the Howard J. Lamade Stadium and the Little League Volunteer Stadium, where the Little League World Series will be played this year between August 21 and August 30th.

“During that ten day period, our attendance at the museum will jump from about 100 visitors per day to anywhere from 500 to 1000” added Ogurcak.  “We expect about 10,000 people to walk through the museum next week alone.”

The most inspiring part of the museum is the Little League Hall of Excellence, where visitors enjoy the motivating stories of Little League graduates, who have gone on to distinguished careers as adults.

Members are selected not for what they did on the diamond, but for their contribution to society and include Ozzie Newsome, Dusty Baker, George W. Bush, Tom Selleck and even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, each of whom grace the walls of the Hall of Excellence.

“The museum really made an impression on Kevin Costner when he was inducted,” explained Ogurcak.

“He was so moved by the museum that he wanted to play on the ball field.  He ended up taking a group of Little Leaguers onto the field at 11:00 that night to play baseball.”

The museum gift shop has recently adopted the book A Glove of Their Own as a way to teach sharing and baseball to their many guests.

“We have a lot of people come into the shop, who know the book and how popular it is around the country.  I am impressed that they know of the book considering it has been out such a short time.”

“We were hoping that the authors could come in and sign for us this year, but we are hoping to have a big signing event to start next year.”

Coach Bob Salomon, a driving force behind the award winning book is equally excited about aligning the book with the Little League Museum.

“The ideals and principles taught in our book are identical to those taught in Little League”, said Salomon. “Teamwork, sharing and love of the game by our children, walks hand in hand in the book and in the spirit of Little League.”

“To me, it’s a perfect match,” he added. “I’m truly humbled and excited that the Little League Museum is supporting our book.”

The museum is located on U.S. Route 15 in South Williamsport, Pa., next to the Little League International Administration Building.  Admission is $5 for adults (and children ages 14-17); $1.50 for children ages 5-13; and $3 for senior citizens (62 and over). Children age four and younger are admitted free of charge.  Group tours and rates are available.  Call 570-326-3607 for more information.

Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  After Labor Day, the museum is open Friday and Saturday only, 10:00  a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Todd Civin is a freelance writer for Bleacher Report and Seamheads.  He can be reached at toddcivin1@aim.com for comment or hire.  He is also a supporter of A Glove of Their Own, the award-winning children’s story that is capturing the heart of the nation by teaching sharing through baseball.

AGOTO is supported by players and coaches including Jason Grilli, Ken Griffey, Joe Torre, Craig Biggio, Sean Casey, Dick Drago, Luis Tiant, Phil Niekro, Ed Herrmann, and The Joe Niekro Foundation as part of their fundraising campaigns. Visit A Glove of Their Own  and purchase under donor code JNF636 The Joe Niekro Foundation.  With each sale $3.00 will go to The Foundation which is Aiding in the Research and Treatment of Aneurysm Patients and their Families.

Forgotten Hall Of Famer Profile: Ed Delahanty

With 232 players enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, it comes as no surprise that many of the games immortals are unknown to today’s fans. After all, how many of these 232 legendary ballplayers can YOU name?

Chances are it’s a lot fewer than you think; everyone knows Cal Ripken, Nolan Ryan, and Babe Ruth, but what about Gabby Hartnett, Frankie Frisch, and George Kell?

There are many great players, especially those from hall of fame classes inducted over 50 years ago, that for one reason or another have fallen out of recognition as the preeminent players of their time.

This recurring article will take a one-by-one look at some of baseball’s most unknown hall of famers. Up today is Ed Delahanty, 19^th century slugger for the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Senators.

The only player to win batting titles in both the American and National leagues, Delahanty broke into the major leagues in 1888 with Philadelphia, although he would not become a regular in the lineup until 1892, four years later.

In his first season as a starter, Delahanty hit .306, and would never hit below .323 for the rest of his career. With fellow Hall of Famers Sam Thompson and Nap Lajoie in the lineup, Philadelphia set an all-time record for highest team batting average, hitting at a team clip of .349 in 1894.

In 1899, arguably Delahanty’s best season, he hit .410 while leading the league in hits and RBI, as well as 55 doubles (a record until 1923). Two years later, both he and Lajoie joined Washington, switching to the AL in the process.

In his first year with his new team, Delahanty promptly won the AL batting crown, hitting .376. Washington, however, was stuck near the bottom of standings and Delahanty, having never played on a championship team, yearned to play in the post-season.

He signed to play for the New York Giants for the 1903 season, but a dispute between the American and National Leagues that resulted in a peace settlement froze all players with their former teams, sending “Big Ed” back to Washington.

Unhappy back in Washington, experiencing marital problems and stuck in debt to John McGraw (Delahanty had been advanced part of his contract by the Giants owner before the peace settlement kept him in Washington), Delahanty began to turn to drinking as an outlet for his frustration.

In July of 1903, Delahanty was ejected from a train traveling across the International Bridge over Niagara Falls. Drunk, Delahanty set off after the train but slipped on the tracks and fell to his death in the Niagara River. He was just 36 years old and still had several productive seasons left.

Hitting over .400 three separate times, Delahanty finished with a career batting average of .346 on the strength of 2,597 hits in just 1,835 games. He also slugged 1,464 RBI and stole 455 bases. Delahanty was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1945.

It Ain’t The Same Without The Amazins

In Philadelphia, the mercury reached nearly triple digits today. In the world of baseball, the Phillies find themselves in yet another scorching pennant race atop the NL East.

Coming off a humbling three game sweep at the hands of the Florida Marlins, the Phillies were suddenly back in the position they found themselves the past two seasons.

Only this year their main adversary was not their friends from up north.

The intense rivalry that reached its fever pitch last September has been belittled to nothing. The New York Mets are not an obstacle for the Phillies this year on the road to another October.

For that, I am sad.

The late inning rallies. The bullpen implosions. The dominating pitching performances. The never ending trash talk.

You couldn’t help but get caught in it.

On the heels of a World Series victory, this year, more than ever, set up the Phils and Mets for a pressure packed September.

Unfortunately, the most the Mets can hope for is to play spoilers.

Of course, how could anyone expect the Mets to compete with several of their top players such as Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, JJ Putz, and Carlos Beltran all firmly entrenched on the pine with a litany of injuries?

A season is obviously wasted when Jeff Francoeur is second in ABs for those Mets.

The intense play on the field was obviously the spark that started the flame between the two passionate fan bases. The smack talk only further perpetuated the rivalry.

But that was September. That was the pennant race. That’s what baseball was all about.

A game that is innately flawed – teams threw the World Series, mounds were raised, balls were juiced, players were juiced – all of it was forgotten for a few balmy, September nights.

Nights that transformed to pure symphonies for one fan base, and for the other, well, good luck sleeping.

In a game of monotony, the rivalry was out of the norm. It increased the intensity. It drew media attention. It made the game fun.

Now the Phillies find themselves hoarding off the likes of the Marlins, who couldn’t draw 30,000 fans if they gave away the tickets, and the Braves, who simply don’t have the firepower to compete for the top spot.

The Mets were the perfect partner for the Phillies. The close proximity and relatively evenly matched teams made for a poetic war. A war I hoped to enjoy at least one more year. A war that made for dramatic ending after dramatic ending.

A war that will hopefully spill into next season.

Dear Mets, please come back.

Repeats Don’t Come Easy

If the new millennium has taught baseball fans one thing, it’s that glory must be earned.

 

Whether it pertains to individual accolades achieved by individuals this decade (some of which are now scrutinized by steroids) or teams, everyone loves a winner. Baseball historically has showcased some of the greatest teams to walk the planet with the New York Yankees of the 1920s, Oakland Athletics in the early 1970s, the Toronto Blue Jays of the early 1990s, and the Yankees of 1998-2000 to name a few.

 

When generations down the road reflect upon the great teams they watched on sleek HDTV’s and YouTube videos when they were kids, who will be heralded as one of the greatest since baseball is inching closer to parody similar to the 1980’s?

 

The 2009 season is living proof that the word ‘repeat’ has become an obstacle. With the reigning champion Phillies, a cookie-jar selection of All Stars seems to strike fear into opponents. But mythic Supermen squads like the 1927 Yankees have eroded. Major League Baseball has expanded to 14 American League teams and 16 National League teams vying four playoff spots per league. Front-offices and team rosters are sporadic, free agency is tagged with Christmas bonuses, and the nature of the sport is changing with this ‘juiced’ era along with a dying breed of dominant starting pitching.

 

Greatness is valued top to bottom. There was a time when an ace (like Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer) would pitch 300 or more innings. Now teams rely on bullpens by committee. There was a time when just two teams faced off in the League Pennants. Now the playoffs consist of Wild Card teams (with no pushovers) hungry for a title. Before the hysteria of money-hungry agents and consumption, teams with venerable players would thrive consistently for at least five years straight, usually landing in the Championship series duel before 1995.

 

Prime examples of how greatness does not grow on paper can examined by a few teams such as the 2008 Yankees, Mets, and Tigers who were the top three in team payroll on Opening Day of that year. To spare the details, all three failed to make the playoffs.

 

With big names signing to different places and trade deadlines deals galore, the quest for division crowns becomes a real test this year. Currently, the Phillies, Dodgers, Cubs, Red Sox, and Angels (from the 2008 playoffs) are hot for 2009 contention. Throw in other contenders like the Cardinals, Rockies, Giants, and Marlins—you have yourself a tough time deciding who’s better than who from the National League. In the American League, the Yankees and Tigers have picked themselves up while the Rays, White Sox, and Rangers are in a horse-race to knock off the Red Sox for the Wild Card. 

 

It’s too early to tell if anyone of these teams can achieve repeats or a dynasty, but if a team can somehow emulate the Yankees’ formula from 1998-2000, there’s likely another team nearby kicking and scratching to do the same.

 

Phils Could Benefit From Bad Weekend Of Baseball

Heading into the weekend, many fans in the Delaware Valley saw an opportunity for the Phillies to put the rest of the NL East in such a big hole, that they could cruise to the division title.

With a three game series against the Marlins, the Phils went into Friday night’s contest with a seven game lead over the second place Fish. Sweep the series and get ready for October.

But did we forget that this is still Philadelphia? Nothing comes easy.

Instead of being up ten games, the Marlins came in and handed the Phillies three straight losses, closing the gap to NL East lead to four games.

The Phils looked uncharacteristically sloppy in all three contests, leading many to believe they were in cruise control.

They were wrong.

So get ready Philly; the race to a third straight division title is on. And it could not be any better for the Phillies.

Recent history has shown that the Phillies play better when the pressure is on.

Last year, a second straight run to the playoffs looked very slim in early September. It took a four game sweep of the Brewers to catapult the Phils to a 9-3 record over their last 12 games, winning the division on the second to last day of the year.

We all know what happened after that.

But the Phillies are now at a crossroads. An unfamiliar position.

They could take the road the Mets have taken the last two years, and completely collapse; or they can do what they have done in the past and win the division.

The bats will come around; The bullpen is starting to get healthier; But their biggest problem is they have too many starting pitchers to decide upon a set rotation.

That is a problem most, if not all of the other squads in baseball would love to have. 

So before we all head back to the gloomy days, let’s allow the Phils the time to right this ship again, and get back to the postseason. 

At least now we can still have meaningful regular season baseball to watch.

Although it is not wrong to hope for a little more rest than just the last day of the season.

Fantasy Baseball Wolf Hunt: Out With The Old And In With…The Old?

Unless, for some very odd and inexplicable reason, you have lost all contact with the Fantasy or even outside world, you all know by now the scheduled start of Pedro Martinez this Wednesday against the Cubs.

You also are then probably aware of Jamie Moyer being moved to the pen.

At this time of year as I scour the various leagues and teams that are out there, as well as my own leagues and teams, I have been noticing a rampant problem growing in the pitching department—both in starters AND relievers.

Most of these issues for managers have been primarily due to injury, but there has been a good show of hands for those pitchers who just haven’t lived up to the hype (cough, Liriano).

So with the news that Martinez is in fact back in the lineup once again—after a very long hiatus—some of you who are looking for a new arm may find some success into the eventual Hall Of Famer; success that has a bit of risk of course.

Let’s take a look at Martinez’s career in case you guys forgot.

From the blossoming days as a young aspiring pitcher for the Dodgers, to the bitter end that came September 25th against, ironically, the Cubs as a matter of fact, Pedro cemented his place in baseball history hands down.

There are very few pitchers left who can compete with a stat line that looks like this:

214 Wins, 99 Losses, 2.91 ERA, 17 Shutouts, 3 Saves, and a jaw dropping 3117/752  K/BB ratio; there are also very few retired pitchers who can compete with these numbers.

But, alas, we live in the land of Fantasy do we not; just because he has had this type of success doesn’t guarantee a manger that he will have this type of impact on a manager’s roster.

Martinez hasn’t really blown anyone away in his rehab stint—he did a pretty good job posting a 1-1 record with a suspect 5.11 ERA, but he had no explosiveness.

I personally am not one for looking into rehab games and stats as I find them too often to be misleading, but feel free to use such information if it helps.

So what to do, what to do?

Well think of it this way; Martinez’s potential schedule could look a little something like this:

ARI, @ NYM, ATL, SF, @WSH, NYM,@ATL, @MIL, HOU, and possibly the Marlins considering how the Phillies handle their schedule.

Now, I don’t know about you guys, but that seems like a very inviting schedule for a guy who has the type of stuff Pedro has been known to have—I’ll give him six out of nine and those are pretty good odds considering.

All in all, if you take into account where we are in the year, there isn’t very many long-term pitching options out there to consider; a consideration that Pedro seems to fit.

If you are one of those managers looking for a reliable pitcher without having to give up the farm I say go for it—you won’t be limping to the barn with a has-been that’s for sure.

Martinez has a 13% average ownership in Yahoo leagues and an overall average of 22% in various sites and leagues around the net; the point being; he is out there so don’t necessarily be a follower, you could see great rewards in the near future.

Around the League:

Both J.A. Happ and Tom Gorzelanny are safe in the rotation, and are there for the taking. If these two are available, I say take a chance on them and stay away from the shinny rookie arms coming out of San Diego and Oakland; now is not the time of year for experimenting unless you are in a Dynasty or Keeper league.

LaTroy Hawkins is said to be back around the 12th or 13th, Mark DeRosa is battling back issues so keep a very sharp eye out, and very interestingly, Brett Myers is rumored to make a run at a comeback in late August; something that the Phillies did toy with idea-wise. Put him on your waiver list and keep an eye out.

Remember, contending managers need now, more than ever, to stay on the ball with the season and players; one small bad move could kill your season.

Comments are always appreciated and as always good luck to everyone and we’ll see you in the next installment when the focus will be the road to victory.

Pedro Martinez to Make First Start Wednesday At Chicago Cubs

The Phillies have just made the announcement that right-hander Pedro Martinez will make his first start in a Phillies uniform Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley Field.

JA Happ will start tomorrow. His last outing was a complete game shutout against the Colorado Rockies; ironically the start came on the same night in which Pedro fanned 11 batters in the minor leagues.

Happ may have saved his job in the rotation.

It is almost certain that Jaime Moyer is headed out of the rotation; Moyer has been regarded as the weak link of the rotation as he is 10-9 with a 5.47 ERA. Moyer would be headed to the bullpen.

However, the big question to me is how Jaime Moyer will fare out of the pen.

Moyer is 46 years old and he would probably take longer to get loose since he’s a starter, and the transition from starter to reliever is pretty tough as Moyer will get a different workload.

Where does Moyer fit in the pen? Will he be a setup guy, or possibly a long man. That remains to be seen.

Whatever the outcome, it’s unlikely that either Moyer or Pedro will make a start in the postseason as the Phillies will probably go to a four-man rotation, unless Pedro out pitches Happ or an injury occurs. It is yet to be seen how the 37-year-old Martinez will pitch in his first big league start of the year.

Florida Marlins Put Phillies On Ice With Sweep

Forget about if Jamie Moyer will stay in the opening rotation; this Phillies team has bigger problems than that.

It is not panic time, but when the Phils (61-48) had the chance to put the National League Eastern Division out of reach, the Florida Marlins came into town and swept the Phillies, cutting a seven-game lead into a manageable four games.

Us Phillies fans are not used to a comfortable lead and it still may happen, but the Marlins were downright dominant in the series, led by Hanley Ramirez, shown above, who hit a hardy .437 in the three-game series.

Chris Coghlan and Ramirez each had four hits for the Marlins in a 12-3 win over the Phillies on Sunday. Coghlan set a team record with his eighth-straight multi-hit game, and Florida had a season-high 19 hits.

Meanwhile, the Phillies are in a real offensive slump and have lost eight out of their last 11 games. They have scored 32 runs in that period (2.91 runs per game), while allowing 51 runs (4.63).

Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez combined for 1-for-10 Sunday. In the last nine games, the same group has gone 20-for-99 with no home runs and four RBI.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel held a 20-minute meeting following the game. Center fielder Shane Victorino was tossed out of the game while on defense for “showing up” the home plate umpire on Sunday.

Maybe those two events will fire up the team as they head to Chicago for a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs, who are currently 58-51 and two games behind St. Louis in the National League Central Division.

The Phillies are a team of “no comment” when addressing their current “six man” rotation, that is when Pedro Martinez is activated.

I have a feeling once the Martinez/Jamie Moyer situation works itself out, the team will respond and score more runs than they give up.

But the starting rotation seems to be a black cloud over this team.

J.A. Happ responded to his personal challenge with a nine-inning complete game shutout of the Rockies, and to be fair, most of the hits Moyer gave up were bloop singles on Sunday.

The Phillies can get some breathing room and quiet controversy with a nice win streak.

The Marlins, four games behind, and the Braves four-and-a-half games behind, will gladly take up the slack if the Phillies fall on the road.

Let’s get it going.

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