Thoughts on Martinez and Lopez
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Thoughts on Martinez and Lopez
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
A few things before I check out of the Residence Inn and head down to the ballpark here in Clearwater. . .
1) The more I examine the situation, the more I believe the Martinez signing borders on a no-brainer. According to my calculations, the Phillies have guaranteed Martinez just over $885,000 for the rest of the season. So, essentially, that's the money they are risking. Everything after that comes in the form of incentives, which are presumably structured so that, if reached, they pay for themselves in the form of performance. Granted, it is easy for me to spend other people's money. But it sure seems like $885,000 isn't a whole lot to gamble. Especially if Martinez makes his major league debut in a mid-week game at home that wasn't previously sold out (I don't care how old the guy is -- his debut will be sold out).
The one unquantifiable concern that filled the airwaves in the build-up to his signing concerned his personality. As my colleague Sam Donnellon put it on Daily News Live, the Phillies clubhouse is very egalitarian. While there are plenty of stars on the roster, there aren't a whole lot of superstars. Ryan Howard is the most down-to-earth $18-million-a-year player I have met. Chase Utley would rather be pelted with rocks than bask in his celebrity status. And it wouldn't surprise me if the only two people who can get Raul Ibanez to talk about himself are his wife and Harvey Dorfman. I'm not saying there are no egos in the clubhouse - this is baseball, afterall, where a certain degree of narcisism is needed to survive. But aside from starting pitching, team chemistry was the biggest factor in the Phillies' World Series run last season.
Well, nothing I have seen out of Pedro Martinez thus far suggests that he will rock the sturdy boat that is the Phillies' clubhouse. Sure, it is early, and he is still very much in a honeymoon stage. But two instances yesterday gave me a good glimpse at Martinez the man. When he arrived at Bright House Field, a small group of autograph seekers awaited him. Instead of taking a back route to the stadium, he walked right toward them, chatting them up and signing their keep sakes. Later that afternoon, as he was dressing to leave, he sat with a Phillies minor leaguer and talked to him at length about the trials and tribulations of professional baseball. In neither instance was Martinez aware that there was a member of the media nearby. When he arrived at the park, I was sitting in my car watching the scene unfold from a distance. In the clubhouse, I was in another corner, talking to some Threshers personnel behind a row of make-shift lockers.
I'm a firm believer that true character is revealed only when no one is looking.
2) Most people assume that because I am the beat writer for the Phillies, I root for them to win. They do not understand when I swear that is not the case. Don't get me wrong - I like to see the teams I cover have success. I cover sports because I enjoy watching athletic performance at the highest level. But I don't have Phillies pennants hanging in my room. What I will admit is that I find myself pulling for certain individuals. It is only human. While part of the intrigue of covering sports is seeing how various human emotions reveal themselves in defeat, deep down inside you enjoy when certain guys succeed. The Phillies have a lot of these guys, and Rodrigo Lopez is becoming one of them. Out of baseball for two years, back at the big leagues at 33 years old, the likely lame duck in the rotation, it is tough not to enjoy what he has done in his last three outings.
Here is a stat for you: Since Pedro Martinez's physical, Phillies starters have allowed two runs in 25 innings.
3) Pedro Martinez is scheduled to throw a simulated game in about an hour. Stay tuned for updates.
Good post Murph. So if you don't root for the Phillies, who do you root for?— Left-handed Larceny- Question: has there ever been an instance when 2 teamates hit 50 HRs in a season?— PuPuMan
PuPu: Remember Mantle & Maris in 1961?- To answer the question from above, he'll say "No team. I'm a professional. I am a writer." I used to work for KYW Radio and all the sports guys, minus one, who was a Mets fan were like that. "We don't cheer for teams! Our jobs are so serious." It's baseball. Have some fun. You're a lucky man, Murphy Lee.— chase2kspc
- At least one...Mantle and Maris— bamrinnj
- I am rooting for Lopez also. Many people lose sight of players with character. They become caught up in potential, appearance, and simply skills, like speed and velocity. The Phillies won last year as much on chemistry as talent. This team has stars that play like rookies with enthusiasm and togetherness. Lopez, Happ, Moyer, and Blanton win games for a variety of reasons, but for me they are extremely competitive and composed. They are blue collar. They represent what baseball should be, like the majority of this team. The grass is not always greener somewhere else.— wmontanez27
- Good points all around about Pedro - the only real issue I think he ever had was on the field - the accusations that he was a head-hunter, and of course, that time he threw a 700-year-old man to the ground like a rag doll.— B in DC
Comment removed.- Just because you are a character, doesn't mean you have character.— mcginnir
- Nice post!, I agree...Pedro costs 0 $ why not, if he comes up big in the biggest game... JR looks smart!— PHILLYMARK
- On the money issue for Pedro - it's a lot of bucks when a guy who is worried about a layoff or making his next house payment thinks about it, but it's true - in baseball reality, it's only a small multiple of the big league minimum. I guess it's worth the risk.— Steve2181
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- I grew up following the Phillies. But when you cover sports for a living, your chief concern is providing, fair, accurate and entertaining coverage. A fan's number one concern is seeing his team win. Believe me, I don't have a high-and-mighty view of it like some others in our profession. Sports are supposed to be fun, and I hope I reflect that in my writing. But they also are a business, and need to be covered as such. With the high price of tickets and the public dollars that go to stadium-financing, you need to take something of a consumer-reporting mindset into covering pro sports.
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- Murph, way too logical for the masses who vent their spleens here... Regarding chase2kspc point above I agree it's baseball - I would rather be writing/covering sports than what I'm doing but such is life...— MrJimmy
- I liked the dig at Rollins without you ever mentioning his name (Deniability). Even from overseas you can tell that the players are decent down to earth guys. The expressions on their faces, and some of their crazy actions (door to door to win an on line vote for all star game, Jenkin's over the top happiness after his pinch hit double in game 5, Utley's World F#cking Champions, and Boo ME, F You) show their true spirit. I, too like Lopez, just not sure he will stcik. He's out of options and will get picked up. Another thing I like about this team. The front office is decent with their players allowing and helping them to move on if needed (Coste, Paulino, and others who they moved to give them a chance to get to or stay in teh big leagues. That's why we're champs, cause we give 100% to players and get 110% in return— fan_in_jerusalem
I remember some of the local sports reporters/broadcasters hinting how miserable it could be to cover the '93 team. By comparison, Dave, this current group must be relatively pleasant to be around. Question: when Rollins decides not to talk, do you get the sense that he's being difficult, or just trying to avoid what he perceives as a distraction?— 1980- Murph is high on cheese.— T3rdEyevisual
- "this team has no personality, they won the world series but the 1993 team is still more beloved"? Speak for yourself, Scooter. Define personality. If your definition or personality is a group of malcontents who do steroids, drink and drive, smash up automobiles and are still looking for the Mothership in the case of Darren Daulton, then fine. This team has no personality. But my definiton of "personality" is a group of guys who play the game well, recognizes that they're playing for one of the toughest (and sometimes most ridiculous) fan bases in sports, and still manages to have fun. I make sure that I'm in front of the television every time the Phillies play because the guys on this team are guys that I wouldn't mind inviting to my family cookout because they've managed to be interesting people without accumulating arrest records in the process. If that's not your kind of "personality", sorry. But it works for me.— Raiderfan
- Real fans root for all of the local teams. If Jack the actor was a true L.A. fan he would have a L.A. cap on at the Phillies game and not a N.Y. cap.— mungman
Scooter- the 93 team might be more beloved, but they didn't bring me a championship, nor did the 2001 sixers, the 97, 87, or 85 flyers, the 2004 eagles, etc, etc. The 2008 Phils are the champs and thats all that matters— jamarder- Question for you Murph... If in Pedro's first 3 starts he goes 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA, averages 6 IP, 5 hits, 4 Ks, 2 walks and holds opponents to a .246 average, wouldn't we all be lauding the signing as a huge success? Poor Rodrigo Lopez (those are his stats).... Guy's done a good job.— phila20fan
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- Details have come out on Pedro's contract. "Pedro Martinez's Philadelphia Phillies deal was just filed, and it pays him $2 million prorated (or about $1 million), plus incentives that could pay him several hundred thousand more. He is to receive $75,000 for each game from games six through 10 and $100,000 for each game from games 11 through 15, and a bunch more in the way of incentives and awards bonuses. Here's what else: $50,000 for 10 relief appearances; $50,000 for 15 relief app.; $50,000 for 20 relief app.; $50,000 for 25 relief app.; $75,000 for 50 innings, $125,000 for 75 innings, $175,000 for 100 innings. Plus, he gets $100,000 World Series MVP, $50,000 for LCS MVP, $100,000 for Cy Young ($75,000-2nd; $50,000-3rd); $25,000 for Gold Glove; $100,000 for Comeback Player of the Year. Plus, for each day on the active roster (not including DL): $50,000 for 15 days; $50,000 for 30 days; $50,000 for 45 days; $50,000 for 60 days; $50,000 for 75 days." Most interesting part of that for me is the incentive for relief appearances...— ChrisInVT
- Don't be surprized if Lopez is included in a deal this week. The Phillies are class enough to care about player's futures and with no options (they cant send him back to minors) they will deal him if they think they cant keep him with the team— fan_in_jerusalem
- Be real Murph...We know u have Phils boxers and Utley feety PJ's...— Living_Legend
- Lopez will not be included in any trades this week...He has no trade value. He's 33 years old and was out of baseball for 2 years before this season. He has zero trade value to anyone...The Phils will keep him in the 5th slot until Pedro's ready to take a turn (if he ever is).— ChrisInVT
- Nice post. Great observations. I think Pedro would be great in the bullpen as a step guy.— 76er
- Chris, if those stats on Pedros contract are correct a lot of it is just media hype. There is no way he wins Cy Young or Comeback player of year with just a half of a year on the team. So you can throw out all those bonuses. Also I doubt be can make some of the "Time on roster" incentives due to how many days are left in season. In other words, they wanted to be able to announce a large number regardless of relevency. It's like saying we'll pay Howard $50 million for each game he gets a save in.— fan_in_jerusalem
- Maybe he doesn't root for the Phils, but the Inq/DN editorial staff and news reporters sure root for their 0bamassiah...— fafafooey
- Lopez has great trade value as a throw in when we make a deal for a RH Bat off the bench. It's called class— fan_in_jerusalem
- fafafooey - get a life - we're talkin' sports here.— B in DC
- On another note, what is this I hear that SI is reporting that the Phillies will NOT include Drabek in any deal. How about not including J.A. Happ in any deal. He is a major reason why we're 6 games up. The kid (he's older than i am) can pitch!— chase2kspc
- Murph, let us know if he has any encounters with old, short, bald coaches when no one is looking.— mick314
- That SI article also made mention of the availability of Cliff Lee. If we could get him for Brown, Carrasco and Donald, plus a throw in, I would do it. Johan Flande, perhaps, though he's really struggling in AA.— B in DC
- Scooter, absolutely incorrect. Who do you love from the 1993 team? Maybe Kruk, maybe Williams, but Dykstra and Schilling and Daulton were the other stars and they're all jerks and lunatics. And as for the other guys ... Hollins? Incaviglia? Milt Thompson? Mariano Duncan? Are those guys really beloved these days? Is Fregosi?— Nutburgers
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- Well said, Mr. Murphy...enjoy your columns, prose and professionalism.— hankOceann
- 93 is not beloved by me. I enjoyed the winning but that's about it. Not to mention the steroid abuse on that team which has taken some of the shine off them. Lenny, Daulton, Hollins at the very least.— Captain
- Nutburgers - Milt is almost beloved on days when the current gang scores a ton of runs. Does that count? And whether or not the guys are beloved as individuals, the team is still beloved. Ok, that's way too many "beloved"s for one post. One time, I beloved Wes Chamberlain...that was a night to remember...— B in DC
- My 'wait and see' attitude has developed into a 'I hope the guy that gave that terriffic press conference helps the team' attitude. And I still hope we get Halladay. (I've never ridden on a "Juggernaut" before....but it sounds exciting.— TBear
- Of course he will affect the chemistry in a negative way.WE do NOT need him i am already tired of all the attention— jersey rep
- D.Murf , your telling me you don't bleed phillies red, say it aint so. I can see you like players personal stats and achievments, I can respect that, but not diehard phillies phan? dude you had me at beat writer. you had me at beat writer.— 4u2digest
- Yea i just hope that pedro coming in doesnt mess with the phillies rythem right now..... but then again .. if it doesnt work out all u did was waste 1 mill— PhillyPhan93
