Injuries continue to plague Mets' Martinez

April 8, 2008 @ 03:56:01

By Joe Loncarich
Edited by Richard Garcia

New York Mets fans and fantasy owners alike knew the risks of depending on starting pitcher Pedro Martinez (hamstring) going into the season. Still, few expected Martinez to get hurt in the fourth inning of his first start this season. Unfortunately, Martinez suffered a mild strain in his left hamstring and was placed on the 15-day disabled list. He is expected to be out four to six weeks. That prognosis could be optimistic, especially considering Martinez's age (36).

The Mets are a very conservative team when it comes to injuries, and fantasy owners should not expect anything different when it comes to handling Martinez's most recent injury. Manager Willie Randolph believed that the initial estimation of four to six weeks was conservative and noted that he would not be surprised if Martinez was out eight weeks.

On the good news/bad news front, let's start with the bad news. Hamstring injuries are notorious for recurring in athletes, so it is very possible that Martinez may make another stop on the DL with a similar injury.

The good news is that this is not the Mets' first time dealing with one of their star players and tender hamstrings. Mets shortstop Jose Reyes had extensive troubles with his hamstrings early on in his career. The Mets found a rehab plan that has kept Reyes healthy and able to put up excellent numbers, so there is hope that they can do the same for Martinez. However, fantasy owners should keep in mind the age difference when comparing the two Mets stars. Reyes was in his early 20s when he was dealing with hamstring issues.

Injury History

His most notable struggles have been with his throwing shoulder. He pitched only 13 innings after being placed on the DL with tendonitis in his right shoulder June 27, 2001, with the Boston Red Sox. To give you an idea of how good of a pitcher Martinez was that year, he still finished ninth in the league in strikeouts (163).

During the 2006 season, he made two separate trips to the DL. The first stint cost him a month with inflammation in his right hip. At the end of '06, an MRI revealed a muscle tendon tear of the calf of his left leg and would force him to miss the postseason. An additional MRI that same day revealed that he had a right rotator cuff tear and would miss all but five starts in '07. That year was the first year that Martinez didn't have at least three more wins than losses; he finished one game over .500 (9-8).

His recovery from this last injury is the one that needs the most focus since his rotator cuff and hamstring injuries affect one another. Martinez's delivery places a significant load on the left hamstring (his landing leg). Pitchers rely heavily on their legs to deliver the ball effectively. The stronger that the core muscles of the lower body are, the more they will help offset the work done by the throwing arm. When pitchers suffer an injury such as a torn rotator cuff, they spend a majority of their workouts on strengthening their lower body. He has made impressive returns from injury before, but the continued health of his throwing arm is contingent upon the rest of his body doing its part.

Who Fills the Void

As for the Mets' replacement - pitcher Nelson Figueroa - becoming a viable fantasy option, don't count on it. The 33-year-old Figueroa, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A New Orleans by the Mets to fill Martinez's roster spot, has appeared in 74 major league games since 2000. He has a record of 7-17 with a 4.65 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 261 1/3 innings pitched in five seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates. Unless you are in a ridiculously large NL-only league, he holds no fantasy value.

Figueroa tasted his first major league action since Sept. 24, 2004, pitching a scoreless inning against the Florida Marlins Wednesday, April 2. However, he followed up that encouraging performance by allowing two earned runs in one inning of work against the Atlanta Braves three days later. He had a good spring with the Mets, and Randolph likes his flexibility to spot start or be used in either long or short relief.

Possible Replacements

If you are looking for viable fantasy options that might be available in your league, look to Braves starting pitcher Tom Glavine as a safe option. He has very little upside and will most certainly not dominate in any way, but he could pick up a handful of wins while posting a respectable ERA and WHIP.

Another possible option is Arizona Diamondbacks starter Micah Owings. Fans may be familiar with his prowess at the plate, but it's easy to forget that he was not long ago considered a top pitching prospect. In 2007 he was respectable, going 8-8 with a 4.30 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. In his 2008 debut, he faced the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. He limited the high-scoring club to two hits and one earned run while fanning 6 2/3 innings. Owings has upside, although he may come with some peaks and valleys.

Fantasy Outlook

To expect Martinez to get back to being as dominant as he was in Boston is an unreasonable expectation, especially considering his age. However, this does not mean he does not have fantasy value. It is very reasonable to think he can put up an ERA in the range of 3.50-3.75 while averaging a strikeout per inning when he returns. Last season, after he returned from the rotator cuff injury, he posted a 2.57 ERA and fanned 32 in 28 innings. The Mets have an excellent offense, which should enable Martinez to win games when he's on the mound.

If you have Martinez already, this is not the time to panic and trade him; his value is extremely low. If you are in a head-to-head league, this might be a time to trade a low-ceiling player for Martinez; he could be extremely valuable in the fantasy playoffs, assuming you have the space to wait the injury out. Fantasy owners of Martinez would also be wise to stash him as long as they have the room. Still, he remains a risk and is not someone who fantasy owners should be depending on.

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Joe Loncarich
Joe has been a contributor to KFFL since 2007.

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