So, barring any problems with the physical, Pedro Martinez is a Met. It’ll take some time to get used to seeing him bat. Sad to see him go, but that’s business. Hey, if I were offered $16 million for one extra year of work I’d take it. Plus I think he’ll pitch well enough for the Cy - if the Mets’ bullpen can hold on to enough leads to get him wins. I foresee a “Steve Carlton in 1972” situation redux.
There’s a nagging sense that a higher initial bid during the exclusive phase might have sealed the deal. Of course, the Sox’s initial bid of 2 years / $25 million seemed to put everyone off but the Mets, and you could argue that the Mets were bidding irrationally, or that Pedro’s value to the Mets was much, much higher. So whether the Sox could have secured Pedro’s services with a different strategy is an open question - given that the Mets were willing to bankroll $54 million, I would say no, Pedro would’ve sussed that the Mets wanted to blow cash, and this was how everything would have panned out. But that was a gamble Theo took. I’m hoping the Sox’s plan B is something sweet, though.
Actually, I’m really hoping the MRI falls through and Pedro’s back with the Sox. The eternal optimist am I.