Pedro Martinez Arrives at Montreal Expos Training Camp
After a two-day delay due to visa problems, Pedro Martinez finally arrived at the Montreal Expos training camp, displaying his signature big smile and dominant fastball. The experienced pitching coach, Joe Kerrigan, praised Martinez's performance, stating he is "throwing great" and "still yakking away." Martinez had been working out at a baseball academy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and had thrown two innings a game before his arrival.
Key Takeaways:
- Martinez is the top righthanded starter on the team and the No. 2 starter overall behind veteran Jeff Fassero, following the departure of four top veterans, including Ken Hill.
- He aims to improve his performance from last season, when he was 11-5 with 142 strikeouts in 144.2 innings.
- Martinez is committed to pitching inside, but hopes to pitch better and avoid three times last season's bench-clearing brawls after hitting batters.
- He plans to focus on pitching better in the first inning, where opponents batted .253 against him last season.
- Despite the loss of several key players, Martinez believes the team is "young" and "enthusiastic" and will "battle" and aim to be a winner like last season.
Statistics:
- 142 strikeouts in 144.2 innings last season
- .253 batting average against him in the first inning last season
- Four top veterans left the team, including Ken Hill and Larry Walker
- Martinez's fastball is his biggest asset, according to coach Joe Kerrigan
- 11-5 win-loss record last season
Sources:
- Canadian Press
- West Palm Beach, FL