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A SIX-PLUS SHOOTER

March 9, 2005 -- PORT ST. LUCIE ? When the Mets signed Pedro Martinez, you probably heard a lot that they signed a guy who's only a six-inning starter. And that sometime around 100 pitches, he needs to be pulled or he loses his effectiveness.

 

There's only one problem. Neither is true.

 

"It's a perception that the media has perceived because of isolated incidences," Met pitching coach Rick Peterson says.

 

Peterson is correct, of course, which is why it's time to de-bunk the two biggest myths about Pedro's pitching.

 

Start with the idea that Martinez can't go past the sixth inning. In Martinez's 33 regular season starts for Boston last year, he failed to go six innings just five times. He went exactly six innings six times. And he went more than six innings 22 times ? two-thirds of his starts.

 

That's the same number of times as Roger Clemens and more times than younger aces like Carlos Zambrano (20 times) and Barry Zito (18).

 

Of course, there may be some who scoff at that and say, "Sure, but how did he perform from the seventh inning on?" Well, in innings 1-6 last year, the 33-year-old Martinez held hitters to a .239 average. In innings 7-9, the average against him was .226. That's right ? batters fared worse against him in the later innings.

 

Met first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, who has 18 at-bats against Martinez, put it best about how good Pedro still is in the latter innings.

 

"You're taking somebody who's electric from the first inning to about the sixth," Mientkiewicz said, "and then he goes from the elite to the elite who's tired or getting tired."

 

And the elite who's tired is still pretty impressive. Which brings us to Myth No. 2 ? as Pedro's pitch count approaches or exceeds triple digits, he becomes significantly more hittable.

 

Martinez was unavailable for comment yesterday, since he does not speak the day before he pitches (he makes his second spring start this afternoon). So instead, just let the numbers do the talking.

 

Last season, from pitches 91-105, batters hit just .187 against Martinez. From pitches 106-120, they hit slightly better (.244), but still worse than they hit against him in pitch segments 1-15 (.333), 31-45 (.259) and 46-60 (.252).

 

The numbers are "just not as good as what they are normally, but that's [because] his career batting average against is .206 [actually .209]," Peterson explained. "That's sick."

 

Martinez, of course, did have a famous case where he served up a three-run lead in the eighth inning of 2003 ALCS Game 7 against the Yankees.

 

But at the same time, that was only one game, and it came against the league's best team. The bottom line is, if there's a situation where Martinez's pitch count is high and the situation is tense, he's still the guy his teammates want on the mound.

 

"If he's at 110 pitches, he's got the bases loaded and nobody out, I don't want anybody else out there but him," Mientkiewicz said. "Regardless of what the outcome is. He's not going to be scared. You have some guys that want to come out in situations and he's not one of those guys. He wants to get himself out of his own trouble."

 

So regardless of about what the common beliefs may be about Martinez, it's worth noting that it's true what they say ? the numbers don't lie.

 

"In God we trust," Peterson said. "All others must have data."

"If he's at 110 pitches, he's got the bases loaded and nobody out, I don't want anybody else out there but him,"

 

Probably a litte exterme...he is a good pitcher but definitely not what he used to be

Still a great pitcher but no where near the dominant pitcher he once was, but i think he'll have a good year.

If you look at numbers, it's much more important to give Pedro an extra day's rest over not pitching him over 100 pitches. When he has more than his usual rest, he is lights out.

His little body won't handle having to bat at least twice a game, and the Mets offense won't exactly give Pedro a good amount of time to catch his breath between innings like the Red Sox's did.

 

He's in for a rude awakening, and just FYI, his "tentative" first home start is against the Marlins...