Matthew Cerrone

News: Pedro will Miss Start on Saturday
By Matthew Cerrone - Jul 23, 2008 10:18 pm

Following tonight’s game, Jerry Manuel told reporters that Pedro Martinez’s father died – and so Martinez left during the game to fly home and be with his family.

As such, Martinez will not make his scheduled start on Saturday.

Carlos Muniz last pitched on June 19, and so he could probably make the spot start, but my guess is that the team will instead recall some one from Triple-A to fill in

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57 Comments »

Comment by shannon
2008-07-23 22:22:36

i thought he was supposed to start on Friday? that’s what MLB.com says.

Comment by Nate W.
2008-07-24 09:23:18

Pelfrey can make the start on Friday. For some reason the Mets were slotting Pedro in ahead of Pelfrey, probably because Pelf pitches better on an extra day of rest.

my guess is that Pelf will start on Friday, and Rugy Lugo or Willie Collazo will start on Sat… yikes. This is because they have an off day 5 days after Sat, meaning they can skip Pedro’s fill in the next time around.

Claudio Vargas just pitched yesterday, and Nelson Figueroa pitches the day before that, so count them both out. Not very smart of the Mets to have the two of them pitching back to back after the AAA all star break which was 4 days long…

Brandon Knight has been hot lately, but isnt on the 40 man roster, and is headed to the Olympics soon anyway…

 
 
Comment by shannon
2008-07-23 22:22:54

RIP!!!!

 
Comment by iluvbuckner
2008-07-23 22:23:19

So sad…my condolences.

 
Comment by Deaner
2008-07-23 22:23:48

Condolences to Pedro and his family.

Comment by chicagometfan
2008-07-23 22:26:13

He will be gone both saturday and sunday so it doesn’t matter when he was supposed to pich. He last threw on July 12Th so they can put him on the 15 day DL and activate him for his next start and call up Niese or someone from AAA.

Comment by MetsFan4Decades
2008-07-23 22:28:19

I believe you can put a player on bereavement leave and call up a pitcher too. should use whichever one gives Pedro the most time back home.

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Comment by chicagometfan
2008-07-23 22:30:21

That’s why I said DL because it gives you the most time but you are correct in that we could also use the bereavment method

 
 
 
 
Comment by MetsFan4Decades
2008-07-23 22:24:07

Just heard this on SNY.
Thoughts and prayers to Pedro (a true gentleman and one of the classiest in the game) and his family.
Must have been so hard not to have been there back home. I feel for him. Many of us have been there…..

 
Comment by NickA33
2008-07-23 22:34:03

God Bless Pedro and his family in this time of need. As much as we all love the sport of baseball, it’s times like this that we realize there is more the life (I don’t like it but it’s true!).

Godspeed Pedro, we’ll pick up a few wins for ya while you’re gone…

 
Comment by Arsenal13
2008-07-23 22:35:54

The game always takes a back seat to news like this…good luck to him and his family

 
Comment by Church4prez
2008-07-23 22:36:22

God Bless his Soul. Thoughts and prayers with the Martinez family

 
Comment by KL15
2008-07-23 22:37:56

All of us are saddend to hear of Pedro’s loss. Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. God speed.

 
Comment by gottabelieve07
2008-07-23 22:42:41

May he rest in peace.

 
Comment by mikepelfreyismyguy
2008-07-23 22:42:53

our thoughts, prayers, and condolences to pedro martinez and his family. there is no bigger thing in someone’s life then their family, not even baseball.

 
Comment by mrmustseetv
2008-07-23 22:46:24

My condolences to Pedro and his family on their loss.

As for who should start? Mr. Niese. Paging Mr. Niese.

Comment by Nate W.
2008-07-24 09:31:22

Niese is scheduled to pitch today in one game of the double header Bingy will be playing starting at noon. Keep an eye on the AA box scores to see if he pitches or is pulled.

 
 
Comment by bigvito22
2008-07-23 22:47:04

RIP, my condolences go out to the Martinez family, God bless.

 
Comment by mookie
2008-07-23 22:48:08

Take as much time as you need pedro. The mets will pick you up, and our thoughts are with you and your family.

 
Comment by chicagometfan
2008-07-23 22:50:46

The choices for call up as I know them are

Armas On DL

Vargas and Figgy both just pitched not enough rest

AAA Knight and Lugo both have enough rest and previous MLB experience

AA Niese and Sal Aquilar both have enough rest.

I would not be quite sure what to do if it were my call.

Comment by MetsFan4Decades
2008-07-23 22:55:16

I’ll be at the game Saturday night. First game I’ve been able to get to Shea in 21 years.
I figured 2 weeks ago I was going to see a replacement pitcher b/c of Pedro’s injury but now it’s official.
Have my fingers crossed they bring up someone who can get it done…..

 
Comment by The Slider
2008-07-23 22:58:06

I know nothing about Knight and Lugo. I don’t think the Mets will call up Neise, do you?

 
 
Comment by jbinva
2008-07-23 23:00:14

I’m thinking they give Knight a shot. Career minor leaguer, but has been sick at AAA this year.

Comment by chicagometfan
2008-07-23 23:05:43

Full Name: Brandon Michael Knight
Born: October 1,1975 in Oxnard, California
Height: 6-0 Weight: 170 Bats: Left Throws: Right
High School: Buena (Ventura,CA)
College: Ventura College

Debut: June 5,2001

Major League Totals - 2 Season(s) 0 0 10.71 11 0 0 0 7 0 19.1 29 24 23 7 8 14 1 0 13.50 3.26 3.72 6.52 1.91 34%

Pitched for NYY 2001 and 2002 very limited action

Full Name: Ruddy J. Lugo
Born: May 22,1980 in Barahona, Dominican Republic
Height: 6-0 Weight: 190 Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Xaverian (Brooklyn,NY)
College:

Brother of Julio Lugo

Debut: April 3,2006

Major League Totals - 2 Season(s) 8 4 4.39 102 0 0 0 38 0 133.1 123 68 65 7 74 82 5 0 8.30 0.47 5.00 5.54 1.48 38%
Tampa Bay and oakland 2006 and 2007
http://www.thebaseballcube.com

 
Comment by Nate W.
2008-07-24 09:36:57

Is Knight still available? He was set to join team USA for the olympics sometime soon…

Comment by KFS
2008-07-24 11:04:54

He is available. Of course, if he’s called up, he’ll have to miss the Olympics. The White Sox did that with Clayton Richards when they called him up recently.

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Comment by Necciai27
2008-07-23 23:04:51

RIP. My prayers are with the Martinez family tonight.

“Carlos Muniz last pitched on June 19, and so he could probably make the spot start, but my guess is that the team will instead recall some one from Triple-A to fill in…”

Which is a good idea, because Carlos Muniz has never started a professional baseball game…

Lugo and Knight are both kinda iffy. Lugo was converted into a starter just this year and has been even more Jekyll and Hyde than Oliver Perez. Knight has been a really nice comeback story and has actually been pretty dominant, but he’s been used as a spot starter and long reliever. Another name is Brian Stokes. Again, he’s been pretty Jekyll and Hyde, but not so much as Lugo and has a bit more of a track record than Knight. To tell you the truth, none of these three guys are particularly appealing as starters…

Comment by chicagometfan
2008-07-23 23:08:02

Stokes threw 8 innings of one run ball on Monday 7/21 so he is possible.

Agreed that none of the choices is all that great

 
 
Comment by BeatWritersSuck
2008-07-23 23:13:45

Wow…nice post Matt….All we care about is who will pitch…Someones Parent passed away…not even a condolences message for Pedro and his Family…Baseball is just a game goes to show how people are

Comment by MetsFaninCA
2008-07-23 23:16:41

Agreed!