By MARK HALE
Last updated: 4:26 pm
June 28, 2008
Posted: 5:00 am
June 28, 2008
Pedro Martinez basically sounded his alarm last night.
Martinez not only was battered by the Yankees in the Mets' 9-0 Game 2 loss at Shea Stadium, but he hardly sounded good afterwards. He admitted that he's concerned, that he has plenty of work to do to remedy things and that his current struggles most likely rank as his all-time worst.
"I'm not doing my job, and that's something to worry about," he said.
Martinez sailed through the first three innings, but his seas got pretty choppy after that. He served up two runs in the fourth, two in the fifth and two more in the sixth, lasting 52/3 innings.
Martinez has had two straight rotten outings and third in his five starts since coming off the disabled list. For the year he's 2-2 with a staggering 7.12 ERA.
"I'm not helping myself in it seems like in any given situation out there, and it's time for me to start getting better, not getting worse," he said. "It seems like I'm getting worse periodically. So I'm going to have to make some adjustments and correct some of the stuff I'm doing. Spend a lot of time in the video room checking out what's going on. Right now I feel like I'm caught in between."
Martinez said he feels fine physically. Though he gave up six hits and a season-worst five walks, his velocity seemed fine, frequently touching the 90-mph barrier.
Still, the Yankees were again Pedro's daddy.
Martinez said Carlos Beltran examined him on tape and claimed the righty is "tipping some of the pitches." Two weeks ago, Martinez posted his best start this season, a six-inning, one-run gem against Texas. But last Saturday he was shelled for six runs in 41/3 innings in Colorado.
Martinez has struggled before, however, "I wouldn't say as bad as this one," he said. "I would have to compare, but at this time in my career, it feels worse because you should be able to make better adjustments and do things in a better way. Have a better plan."
