04/18/24
August 25, 2003
Pedro's Pissed... Again.: Since he called in sick last week, the already estranged marriage of Pedro and the Boston Media has simply become irreconcilable. Media has mentioned that Pedro should have been at the park come hell or high water, and then some cited instances where Michael Jordan (and other world-class athletes) triumped over their ailments. And still, other local outlets have been supporting Martinez and recalling his past mettle. Pedro unleashed a tirade against the media Saturday (username: sportsfilter, pw: sportsfilter). There are rumors (I haven't been able to find a citable source as of yet) that angry Pedro has demanded a trade and/or has mentioned something about taking his 17mil next year and leaving the organization as a free agent. More inside...
posted by jerseygirl to baseball at 01:24 AM - 15 comments
If that rumor about him saying he'll take his 17mil next year and then screw out of town is actually true *cringe*, he should be traded in the off season. The ownership better not let another HOF pitcher walk away from this club for nothing.
posted by jerseygirl at 01:32 AM on August 25, 2003
Here are a few more links regarding the 17mil comment.
posted by jerseygirl at 08:03 AM on August 25, 2003
All's fair in love and war (and when you're making 17mil).
posted by cg1001a at 09:33 AM on August 25, 2003
I'm just enjoying watching Jgirl post to herself. :) I think it's fine to call in sick occasionally. Albert Pujols just took five days off with the flu and I'm pissed at him for coming back too soon and hurting the team, the stubborn bastard (actually, that's LaRussa's fault for letting him). Still, Pedro brings this crap on himself by being a whiner. You want to skip town, Pedro? Great. I bet Alan Trammell would LOVE to have you in Detroit.
posted by wfrazerjr at 11:37 AM on August 25, 2003
I think my comments in this thread say all I need to say on this topic.
posted by scully at 12:46 PM on August 25, 2003
Ha Ha, the Sox best pitcher hates playing in Boston, as a Yankee fan I'd be glad to see Pedro shuffle off to some small market team that will treat him with kid gloves, and their local media will kiss his ass.
posted by jbou at 01:08 PM on August 25, 2003
Only Boston could alienate the only legitimate post-season starter it has. Being a baseball fan there is like coming down with a long-term illness. Get-used-to-disappointmentitis. Wow. An astonishingly bad joke.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 01:33 PM on August 25, 2003
jbou, that wouldn't necessarily be a small market team. Atlanta only has problems with its pitchers when they decide to leave (i.e., Glavine), and handle them with kid gloves even when they aren't doing so well (Maddux last year).
posted by trox at 02:57 PM on August 25, 2003
A small market team isn't going to be able to afford Martinez. Period.
posted by jerseygirl at 04:02 PM on August 25, 2003
What's wrong with Pedro?
Why are people touching him with gloves?
posted by lilnemo at 04:48 PM on August 25, 2003
Just to throw this out there, look at the link under "And still, other local outlets . . . "-- when you have one writer for the Globe trying to explain that he was legitimately ill and there was about a 1% chance anyone in his condition could have pitched and then you have another writer from the same fucking paper on TV openly questioning whether he was really sick, you'd want to leave to. I watched Game 5 of the series against Cleveland. I have no questions about Pedro's heart. I highly doubt he's going anywhere given he's made similar comments in the past.
posted by yerfatma at 06:15 AM on August 26, 2003
He threw it down last night while still sick. Mariners could not touch him, so that's a quality start.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:06 AM on August 26, 2003
I'd say this is a vote of confidence. "That guy, right now, he deserves the best," said David Ortiz. Pedro may be a tad sensitive, but I don't question his desire to pitch, and win a game. Neither do his teammates. I think this whole situation is just a byproduct of the hyperactive-always-say-never Boston media. To be fair it happens in all major markets. It happened here in L.A. with Sheffield, and now with Kevin Brown. Even Piazza in NY.
The media in major markets tend to scrutinize their atheletes more. So anytime their athelete is unable to perform, there must (inherently) be a story there. So the reporters dig and dig to make deadline. More often than not, they have the story. The guy (or gal) is banged up or sick, and can't compete at the highest level.
Smaller market teams tend to give their players some space because they're just glad to have them. Unless you're Kevin Garnett. Or Griffey Jr. I believe that's the Superstar exception. posted by lilnemo at 01:26 PM on August 26, 2003
cool, an anti-pedro thread that I didn't start :) I don't blame Pedro for not pitching, especially since there is evidence that it was the right call. However, past incidents have given him a reputation, and it's not surprising that the media started making assumptions. Once again, I think he responded to it like a whiny selfish child. I don't question his intentions, but he's really got to learn to keep his mouth shut, or at least learn some tact.
posted by Bernreuther at 05:30 PM on August 27, 2003
I don't know much about past sports history, but is this kind of response from a player something new? Granted, Boston is a hard town to play in -- the fans obsess and the media is heavily involved. We all know that. But at the same time, all media seems to know Pedro is, I'm quoting from SportsCenter, "sensitive." Has a line been crossed by the media, is this simply an individual, isolated case or a sign of what's to come in athlete/media relations?