When Pedro Martinez was spotted wearing goggles during the sixth inning on Monday night, it seemed like the Met ace would be the center of attention in a wet and wild division-clinching celebration.
But three innings later, as his teammates partied hearty after clinching the Mets’ first division title since 1988, Martinez was nearly impossible to find. When you considered that he brought a midget to postseason celebrations with Boston in 2004, that seemed odd.
“It was a World Series that I won, this was just a clinching,” Martinez said yesterday.
“I think that there’s a slight difference in the two of them.
“Anything [the other Mets] did, it was OK yesterday. Anything they did, they deserve it.” With the National League Division Series about two weeks away, a sometimes subdued, sometimes defiant Martinez revealed that he needs to regain confidence in his health, which of late included a strained right calf. But more importantly, he stressed that neither he nor the Mets have reached their ultimate goal.
“Winning the division doesn’t do anything,” he said. “If at the end of the year our fans go home saying, ‘Oh, we did well in the regular season,’ [but] we’re home and looking at the teams playing in the World Series, that’s not good.
“This is just a ticket to the playoffs to see if you go to the World Series.
[There’s] a lot to do still.” If Martinez’s health is absent from the playoffs, even the three-time Cy Young winner knows it won’t be good. Asked what he wants to get out of the next two weeks, the 34-yearold repeated the word “health.” “Nothing else,” he said. “Health and confidence. Confidence about your health, that would be the biggest key. Everything else just clicks, man.” Martinez tossed a side session on Monday in anticipation for tomorrow’s start against Florida, and he said everything was fine. He was asked if his teammates have confidence that he’ll be healthy for Game 1 of the Division Series.
“They can’t have it if I don’t,” he answered. “It’s yet to be seen whether I’m going to be totally healthy at the end of this season and going into the playoffs.
“I’m optimistic I’m going to be healthy, and if I’m healthy I’m capable of doing a lot of things. I’m not saying I’m going to do it. There’s no guarantee on what you’re gonna do.
But without a doubt I’m capable of it.
I’ve done it before.” Martinez doesn’t care if he doesn’t round into form by October as long as the Mets are triumphant.
“If we win, I don’t care how good or bad I pitch,” he said. “It’s winning.
From now on, 11 games. Eleven wins, that’s all I care about now.” Although Martinez said he’s only seen his 2004 World Series ring twice – once the day he received it and the day he sent it to the safe-deposit box – he spoke proudly about the chemistry the Red Sox had that year and the camaraderie the Mets have this year.
“If that’s the reason we’re going to win it, we’re going to win it again,” he said. “Because chemistry is not lacking in this locker room. I can say for sure we have it here, and you can see it every day.” Martinez said pressure is lack of confidence, and he doesn’t have that.
“I’m confident that I’m healthy, I will do whatever possible to win,” he said. “If I have to kick you in the face to win, I’ll do that.”
Time capsule
The Mets last night clinched their first division title since 1988. Here’s a look back at that time, 18 years ago:
NBA: Lakers def. Piston 4-3 in Finals
Hockey: Oilers sweep Bruins in Stanley Cup; Wayne Gretzky traded to Kings in offseason.
NCAA basketball: Coach Larry Brown leads Kansas to upset of Oklahoma
NCAA football: Notre Dame (12-0) wins title
Heisman: Barry Sanders (Oklahoma State)
Olympics: Winter in Calgary, Summer in Seoul
Music: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses top charts.
TV: “Cosby Show” and “Roseanne” are highestrated shows; “Wonder Years” premiers that year.
Actors: Eddie Murphy and Paul Hogan are big names.
Movies: “Eight Men Out” and “Moon Over Parador” are released in September.
Surprise star: Roger Rabbit
Event: George H. Bush elected president.
Gas: $1.08/gallon
Julia Roberts is still two years away from superstardom with “Pretty Woman.”
Britney Spears is 7 and won’t become a Mouseketeer for another year.
