MET NOTES
BOSTON – A carton of Presidente beers and a bottle of Cristal rested on Pedro Martinez’s chair in front of his locker yesterday.
“See,” Martinez said, “that’s what happens when you come home.” Martinez returned to Fenway Park yesterday – as a Met – for the first time since he signed before last season. He walked into the visitors’ clubhouse at approximately 4 p.m. and said, “Let me get familiar with this.” But in reality, the former Sox legend felt comfortable in his old stadium.
“It’s great. I feel like I’m in very, very familiar territory,” he said, “Overall, it’s just a refreshing feeling around here.” When Martinez got on the field yesterday, the reception was certainly welcoming. One sign, from a man in a Red Sox shirt, read THANK YOU PEDRO.
The Red Sox seemed to feel the same way.
After the first inning last night, the Sox played a video of Martinez highlights to the tune of Billy Joel’s “This Is the Time,” bringing about Fenway cheers and an eventual standing ovation.
After the video, the screen read “Welcome back and welcome always Pedro Martinez,” and the fans chanted “Pay-dro!” Martinez got out of the Met dugout and waved, resulting in enormous cheers. He also tipped his cap.
In pre-game, Martinez – who will face the Red Sox tonight – heard cheers when he got on the field. He greeted Manny Ramirez at the batting cage and saw pal David Ortiz.
Martinez also waved to fans while in center field and signed autographs for the crowd in left.
When he talked about the reception from the fans tonight and what he anticipated, he said, “If they clap for me, I’ll be really happy. But if they don’t, I’ll just have to say they’re doing it to back up their team, which is the Red Sox, not the Mets.” Martinez is a Met, but he again insisted that his priority had been to stay at Fenway.
“I think Boston could have done anything to keep me and not let me go,” he said, “except for maybe, I don’t know, misjudging what exactly was my mistake – saying that I wanted to stay here so bad.”
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Paul Lo Duca (left hand bruise) returned last night after missing the previous gameanda-half. As for Duaner Sanchez, who missed the last two games with a pinched nerve in his neck, he pitched the eighth inning last night and gave up a run.
“He said he felt pretty good today,” Randolph said before the game.
Also, Xavier Nady left the game with a bruised right wrist after getting hit by a pitch.
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The Mets showed interest in Tampa’s Mark Hendrickson before the pitcher was dealt to the Dodgers yesterday, but while Hendrickson is no longer a possibility, the Mets continue to have interest in Devil Ray second baseman Julio Lugo.
– Additional reporting by Joel Sherman
