While attending David Ortiz’s charity golf tournament in the Dominican Republic over the weekend Pedro Martinez made it clear that he’d like to pitch for the Phillies again in 2010. “They treated me very well and they were very professional,” Martinez said. “They will always have the door open.”
After signing with Philadelphia in July and making his Phillies debut a month later, Martinez went 5-3 with a 3.65 ERA in 12 starts between the regular season and playoffs. With a 53/12 K/BB ratio in 61.2 innings Martinez certainly showed that he still has the stuff to be an effective middle-of-rotation starter and he reportedly plans to play a full season in 2010.
Of course, at 38 years old Martinez is hardly a good bet to actually pitch a full season. In fact, he hasn’t started 25 games or thrown 150 innings since his first year with the Mets in 2005. Philadelphia has Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, and J.A. Happ cemented in the rotation, so the question is whether it’s worth spending, say, $5 million on Martinez rather than turning the fifth spot over to some combination of Jamie Moyer, Kyle Kendrick, and Antonio Bastardo. Probably, but the Phillies seem unlikely to get into any kind of bidding war.
Orioles sign OF Aaron Hicks, put Cedric Mullins on 10-day IL with groin strain
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles signed outfielder Aaron Hicks less than 24 hours after Cedric Mullins went down with a strained right groin.
Mullins went on the 10-day injured list, but the Orioles are hoping Hicks can help defensively in the spacious outfield at Camden Yards. Hicks was released last week by the New York Yankees with more than 2 1/2 seasons left on his contract.
“We had noticed that he was a free agent even before the injury,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said. “When the injury occurred and it became pretty clear this was going to be an IL, it seemed like a good fit even more so at that time.”
The Orioles are responsible for paying Hicks just $483,871, a prorated share of the $720,000 minimum salary. The Yankees owe him the rest of his $10.5 million salary this year, plus $9.5 million in each of the next two seasons and a $1 million buyout of a 2026 team option.
The 33-year-old Hicks hit just .188 in 28 games for the Yankees this year.
“We have stuff that we look at from a scouting and evaluation perspective,” Elias said. “It’s very different from just looking at the back of a baseball card, and we hope that we get a bounceback from anyone we bring here.”
Hicks batted .216 last season.
“Hopefully that’s a good thing for him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the Baltimore deal. “A lot of time here and a lot of good things happened for him here. I know the last couple of years have been a struggle. But hopefully it’s a good opportunity for him and certainly wish him well. Not too well being in our division and a team we’re chasing, but hopefully it’s a really good fit for him.”
Mullins left a loss to Cleveland after he pulled up while running out an infield grounder. Outfielder Colton Cowser – the fifth pick in the draft two years ago – is hitting .331 at Triple-A Norfolk, but he went on the IL in the past couple weeks.
“Certainly he was building a case towards promotion consideration prior to his injury and prior to Cedric’s injury,” Elias said. “We’ll just see where we’re at.”
Hicks was active for the game but not in the starting lineup. Austin Hays, normally Baltimore’s left field, was in Mullins’ usual spot in center.
When the wall in left at Camden Yards was pushed significantly back before last season, it made left field a bigger challenge defensively.
“In this park … you really need two center fielders,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Aaron’s got a lot of center-field experience. Played left field here before also. Brings the defensive aspect and then the switch-hitting.”