Pedro Pitches Better, But Still Sucks
New York Mets ace Pedro Martinez is a nine-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner and in 1999 had arguably the greatest pitching season in Major League Baseball history. These days, however, he cant even get Joe Schmo out in the Rookie-levelGulfCoast League.
Nonetheless, Martinez called Tuesdays outing[his second rehab start] since returning from [right shoulder surgery in October](http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060930&content_id=1691510&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb)a great improvement. The Dominican fireballer allowed three runs on 60 pitches in four innings, not particularly impressive considering he was facing Class A baseball players. But the outing was a significant upgrade from [his previous start](http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-08-08-3150623538_x.htm) six days earlier, when he embarrassingly allowed five runs and six hits in just three innings. Still, if youre drowning 20 feet below the surface and you rise five feet, youre still drowning.
Martinez will make one more minor league start before considering a return to the Mets. But if hes getting battered by Class A rookies, what will the Atlanta Braves do to him? Martinez might be begging to go home to the Dominican Republic after his first visit to Turner Field. And trust me, Santo Domingo Norte isnt exactly the South of France.