more on this..]BY DAVID LENNONSTAFF CORRESPONDENTJuly 7, 2005, 1:47 PM EDTWASHINGTON -- The Mets announced Thursday that Pedro Martinez will not pitch for the National League in next Tuesday's All-Star Game at Comerica Park in Detroit.General manager Omar Minaya described it as a "joint decision" involving the Mets and Martinez, who will make his final start of the first half on Sunday against the Pirates in Pittsburgh.On that schedule, Martinez felt that he would not be ready to pitch again in Tuesday's game, which would have been his seventh appearance in the Midsummer Classic."I just decided to offer my opportunity to someone else to participate and give the National League the opportunity to win," Martinez said before Thursday's game at RFK Stadium. "Since I'm pitching on Sunday, we decided it's not going to be in the best interests for myself and the organization."Not being able to compete, I'm just going to concede my place to somebody that's going to be able to compete and give the advantage to go out and win it now that it counts."Martinez, who is 9-3 with a 2.80 ERA, is among the NL leaders in almost every pitching category, and his 129 strikeouts are second only to the Twins' Johan Santana (143). But after Martinez spoke with Minaya and Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon, they all were in agreement."We talked about it and Pedro has our support," Minaya said. "It's a players' decision. He just wanted our support and we supported him in whatever he wanted to do."]
Willets Point Jul 07 2005 02:36 PM
I'm for a one-week all-star break, but I'm also for all-star teams representing the top 8 baseball-ing nations playing in a three-day all-star tournament. Nobody likes that idea except me.
Edgy DC Jul 07 2005 02:39 PM
You can't play the nobody-but-me card. I just played it.
Yancy Street Gang Jul 07 2005 02:39 PM
I wouldn't go for a seven-day All-Star Break.My vote would be to keep the break at three days, but not play an All-Star Game. Just let it be a three-day breather for the players. (Or, as Ed Coleman would say, a chance for the players to get a blow.)
Rotblatt Jul 07 2005 02:57 PM
Good. I don't want him out there pitching unless he has to. Now if we can just get Beltran to back out too . . .Piazza can stay, since this might be his last All-Star game.
holychicken Jul 07 2005 03:13 PM
I am all for a 7 day all star break. It would mean that the Mets wouldn't lose for a whole week during the baseball season. That would be good for my heart.*looks through deck of cards*What the hell? Where did my nobody-but-me card go?
soupcan Jul 07 2005 05:10 PM
How do I go about getting a blow?It's been a while.
Edgy DC Jul 07 2005 06:27 PM
Don't vote for Pedro.