redsoxman
03-01-2004, 05:05 AM
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/images/2004/02/29/lsPisiWt.jpg
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- For the first time in 135 days, Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez stepped on a pitcher's mound and threw a baseball.
Rust? Invisible.
Quality of the stuff after that considerable layoff? In the opinion of one trained observer, "ridiculous."
Martinez threw 49 pitches from the bullpen late Sunday morning and the results were typically sparkling.
"The only word (pitching coach) Dave Wallace used was 'ridiculous,'" said Sox manager Terry Francona.
Until Sunday, Martinez hadn't unleashed a pitch from a mound since Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Yankees.
His arm fresh and in shape from a productive winter of workouts in the Dominican Republic, the mound felt like home as Martinez threw his hard and soft stuff to bullpen catcher Dana Levangie.
"It felt great, actually," Martinez said. "For so long without actually touching the mound, I thought it was great. Nice and loose, smooth. I thought I was going to be more divorced from the mound than I was. I got a little bit excited today and I actually threw all three pitches and all three seemed to be pretty comfortable.
"It's the first time ever that I threw breaking balls on the first time out on the mound. I normally just throw fastballs. This time I felt like I could do that, I had the luxury to do that."
Martinez, ever mindful of keeping his arm healthy for the long haul, always goes at a modest pace during Spring Training.
The plan, according to Martinez, is that he will throw one more bullpen session, two rounds of live batting practice, and then a game by March 10 or thereabouts.
"Most guys probably throw between 25 to 30 innings during Spring Training," said Wallace. "I'm not sure he's going to need that many. He knows himself so well, just like the way he got up there and threw today. We'll let his experience be the guide. Pedro, for not being on the mound since last season, his arm was in shape to repeat his delivery right away. That's why he's a special guy."
At 32 years old, Martinez is feeling young again. This is a far cry from two springs ago, when he was coming off serious shoulder pain in 2001 and didn't know how much more he had to give.
"Actually, last year after the first half I pretty much knew I was in command of my physical shape," said the three-time Cy Young Award winner. "The way I finished the season actually told me that I was totally healed and ready to go."
How many more years will he pitch?
"I don't want to really talk about that," said Martinez, who is 101-28 since joining the Red Sox. "I'll let my physical body dictate how I feel and how long I want to play. I don't think I'm going to do anything at home at 32 years old, being able to do so many things still."
Short hops: Reliever Ramiro Mendoza (strained abdominal muscle) took a small step in his recovery, throwing lightly in the outfield. "The first thing is just to get him healthy, get him on the mound and doing what he's supposed to do," said Francona. ... DH David Ortiz hit a monster home run during batting practice, smashing the taillight of a green Oldsmobile parked on the grass beyond the fence. ... Francona came away impressed after throwing a round of batting practice to Nomar Garciaparra for the first time since he managed the star shortstop in the Arizona Fall League a decade ago. "I haven't thrown to Nomar for a while. I've kind of forgot how fast that bat gets through the zone," said the manager.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- For the first time in 135 days, Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez stepped on a pitcher's mound and threw a baseball.
Rust? Invisible.
Quality of the stuff after that considerable layoff? In the opinion of one trained observer, "ridiculous."
Martinez threw 49 pitches from the bullpen late Sunday morning and the results were typically sparkling.
"The only word (pitching coach) Dave Wallace used was 'ridiculous,'" said Sox manager Terry Francona.
Until Sunday, Martinez hadn't unleashed a pitch from a mound since Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Yankees.
His arm fresh and in shape from a productive winter of workouts in the Dominican Republic, the mound felt like home as Martinez threw his hard and soft stuff to bullpen catcher Dana Levangie.
"It felt great, actually," Martinez said. "For so long without actually touching the mound, I thought it was great. Nice and loose, smooth. I thought I was going to be more divorced from the mound than I was. I got a little bit excited today and I actually threw all three pitches and all three seemed to be pretty comfortable.
"It's the first time ever that I threw breaking balls on the first time out on the mound. I normally just throw fastballs. This time I felt like I could do that, I had the luxury to do that."
Martinez, ever mindful of keeping his arm healthy for the long haul, always goes at a modest pace during Spring Training.
The plan, according to Martinez, is that he will throw one more bullpen session, two rounds of live batting practice, and then a game by March 10 or thereabouts.
"Most guys probably throw between 25 to 30 innings during Spring Training," said Wallace. "I'm not sure he's going to need that many. He knows himself so well, just like the way he got up there and threw today. We'll let his experience be the guide. Pedro, for not being on the mound since last season, his arm was in shape to repeat his delivery right away. That's why he's a special guy."
At 32 years old, Martinez is feeling young again. This is a far cry from two springs ago, when he was coming off serious shoulder pain in 2001 and didn't know how much more he had to give.
"Actually, last year after the first half I pretty much knew I was in command of my physical shape," said the three-time Cy Young Award winner. "The way I finished the season actually told me that I was totally healed and ready to go."
How many more years will he pitch?
"I don't want to really talk about that," said Martinez, who is 101-28 since joining the Red Sox. "I'll let my physical body dictate how I feel and how long I want to play. I don't think I'm going to do anything at home at 32 years old, being able to do so many things still."
Short hops: Reliever Ramiro Mendoza (strained abdominal muscle) took a small step in his recovery, throwing lightly in the outfield. "The first thing is just to get him healthy, get him on the mound and doing what he's supposed to do," said Francona. ... DH David Ortiz hit a monster home run during batting practice, smashing the taillight of a green Oldsmobile parked on the grass beyond the fence. ... Francona came away impressed after throwing a round of batting practice to Nomar Garciaparra for the first time since he managed the star shortstop in the Arizona Fall League a decade ago. "I haven't thrown to Nomar for a while. I've kind of forgot how fast that bat gets through the zone," said the manager.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.