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Pedro Martinez couldn't find a suitable employment opportunity prior to the 2009 Major League Baseball season, so he sat out until the Phillies came knocking in July. The 38-year-old pitcher started nine games, posting a record of 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA and helped the Phillies make a championship run that fell just a little short. Through his agent, Fern Cuza, who spoke to FOXSports.com, the three-time Cy Young Award-winner has made it clear that he would like to pitch in 2010. And Martinez wants to pitch the entire season this time.
His track record over the past four seasons hasn't been one of durability. In the three years prior to 2009, he averaged just 16 starts and had an ERA of 4.74. And even though he pitched well this season, his nine regular season and three postseason starts don't do a lot to prove Martinez can handle the rigors of 30 or more major league starts. Especially since he didn't make his first start until the middle of August.
That said, his 2009 winning record and sub-4.00 ERA combined with the fact that Martinez greatly reduced the number of batters he walked while increasing his strikeout totals should mean that some team will take a chance on him. It likely won't be a long-term contract though. A team could put together an incentive-laden one-year deal with a club option for a second year and take a low-risk, high-reward gamble on a pitcher who knows how to win, when healthy.
It's still too early to tell where Martinez will end up. It wouldn't be shocking to see him back in Philadelphia. Or he may retest the waters with the Dodgers or the Cubs, teams he spoke with prior to signing with the Phillies. Smart money keeps the hurler in the National League, and it's safe to imagine that he'll want to pitch for a contender. That narrows the list quite a bit.
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