Orioles ink Pedro to one-year deal
by zknower on Apr 1, 2009 9:33 AM EDT
in News
57 comments
Yikes! I guess Hayden Penn really lit a fire under Andy. Didn't see this coming.
FORT LAUDERDALE (AP) -- Andy MacPhail had seen enough.
Following another dismal outing today by one of his regular starters, the Baltimore Orioles' general manager took a drastic step to shore up his young team's pitching, signing free agent Pedro Martinez to a one-year deal just before midnight.
Terms of the contract were unannounced, but Martinez reportedly had been seeking an annual salary in the range of $3 million. One Warehouse official, on condition of anonymity, said the contract was heavily incentive-laden, with bonuses for reaching 100, 150, and 180 innings.
The news caught the baseball world by surprise, as there had been rumors for weeks that Martinez might not land anywhere, and if he did, it would be with either the New York Mets or the Los Angeles Dodgers. For the Mets last year, Martinez went 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA in 20 appearances and finished the year on the disabled list.
Orioles skipper Dave Trembley said he had not yet determined where Martinez would slot into the rotation. Current starter Jeremy Guthrie could not be reached for comment, but his Twitter feed read, "Pedro is an ace in any clubhouse", indicating there will be little friction regarding the rotation order following the surprise signing.
In a humorous turn of events, the announcement was delayed by nearly an hour because Martinez was tracking down and bargaining with relief pitcher Dennis Sarfate to wear uniform number 45, the number Martinez had worn in previous stints with the Red Sox and Mets. The terms the two reached were undisclosed, but Martinez wore the number at his press conference with MacPhail. (It is unknown what number Sarfate will now choose to wear; his college number, #52 at Arizona State, is worn by closer George Sherrill.)
With opening day less than a week away, MacPhail said that recent poor performances by several candidates for the starting rotation had forced his hand, and that, "...[T]his is the time of year these types of moves have to be made. Today is the first of April. If we didn't act now, some people might have called us foolhardy."
Source: Chicago Sentinel
It's gonna be one rollercoaster of a year, O's fans.
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HA!
that amazed me for 2 seconds, before my girlfriend (who hates pedro) said “they did a press conference already?!” APRIL FOOLS!
"I’m sure glad he didn’t try to bunt." - DD on Melmo's game winning double, 6/17
by daveh873 on Apr 1, 2009 12:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i should have waited until tomorrow, but it's already April 1 on the east coast, so..... :)
It's 4 in the morning. Too much to drink. All the girls look hot. So, the Nationals are Jennifer Lopez to me. —Julian Tavarez
by zknower on Apr 1, 2009 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That is a high qaulity PS job, btw
Aside from the hat being askew, that’s really good work!
"Any guitar solos you hear on the record where it sounds like one note, sounds like Meg White playing guitar -- that's me. Any real guitar solo where a guitar comes in and you go, 'F--k, that sounds awesome!' -- that's not me." - Josh Freese
by duck on Apr 1, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
merci, sir duck
it was a fun challenge to take on. i knew no one would buy the story without some “evidence”….
It's 4 in the morning. Too much to drink. All the girls look hot. So, the Nationals are Jennifer Lopez to me. —Julian Tavarez
by zknower on Apr 1, 2009 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Congratulations
You are the first and last person to get me this year.
Every year one person sneaks one in on me before I remember what day it is, then I disbelieve everything that everyone else says to me for the rest of the day.
Kind of wish it was true. Do we really need Adam Eaton and Mark Hendrickson to open up the year in our rotation? Sigh.
Cry havoc and unleash the Esskay hot dogs of war! - The Wayward Oriole, Opening Day 2008
by Eat More Esskay on Apr 1, 2009 12:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Thanks!
I don’t think you were around, but the first time I did this was last year: ROBERTS TRADED!
The story actually got picked up in a couple of places.
It's 4 in the morning. Too much to drink. All the girls look hot. So, the Nationals are Jennifer Lopez to me. —Julian Tavarez
by zknower on Apr 1, 2009 12:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I never fell for that one
I mean, the cubs would NEVER trade with “highly regarded elix pie”.
"I’m sure glad he didn’t try to bunt." - DD on Melmo's game winning double, 6/17
by daveh873 on Apr 1, 2009 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's OK
My principal announced he was leaving after Spring Break for a different county. Took me an entire class period before I remember what day it was…
"Any guitar solos you hear on the record where it sounds like one note, sounds like Meg White playing guitar -- that's me. Any real guitar solo where a guitar comes in and you go, 'F--k, that sounds awesome!' -- that's not me." - Josh Freese
by duck on Apr 1, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nice photoshop
other than the hat looks goofy haha
The owner of...... www.birdswatcher.com
by Michael18 on Apr 1, 2009 12:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
it was really hard to find a hat at the right angle.
I actually stole it from Koji:
It’s actually Koji’s body, too. And the 45 came from a Dennis Sarfate pic.
It's 4 in the morning. Too much to drink. All the girls look hot. So, the Nationals are Jennifer Lopez to me. —Julian Tavarez
by zknower on Apr 1, 2009 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
the background changed though
odd.
"I’m sure glad he didn’t try to bunt." - DD on Melmo's game winning double, 6/17
by daveh873 on Apr 1, 2009 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i also had to create some new background
to make pedro’s hair on the left. also, koji’s cheek was peeking out on the right.
i just dimmed the hat down a little to make it fit in the scene a little better..
It's 4 in the morning. Too much to drink. All the girls look hot. So, the Nationals are Jennifer Lopez to me. —Julian Tavarez
by zknower on Apr 1, 2009 1:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
here's the original pedro pic
It's 4 in the morning. Too much to drink. All the girls look hot. So, the Nationals are Jennifer Lopez to me. —Julian Tavarez
by zknower on Apr 1, 2009 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
he looks fake
like thats his wax figure at madame tussades or something
"I’m sure glad he didn’t try to bunt." - DD on Melmo's game winning double, 6/17
by daveh873 on Apr 1, 2009 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
beautiful
I was expecting one of your Chicago Sentinel stories and you did not disappoint.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by SC on Apr 1, 2009 12:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This prank was a little bit too easy to spot as prank though (news conferences usually don’t happen at night). Roberts being traded last year was perfect. All of us, at least I was, were feverishly looking for a Roberts trade news last year. You should have gone with “Wieters tests positive for steroids.”
"Your wife told you to play in New York.
Well, my wife told me you look like a dork." Boo Teixeira guys.
by birdman on Apr 1, 2009 1:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
good god, can you imagine?
i think i’d be getting death threats.
watch for next year’s story: “MacPhail trades for Youkilis as preseason-favorite Orioles just get better.”
It's 4 in the morning. Too much to drink. All the girls look hot. So, the Nationals are Jennifer Lopez to me. —Julian Tavarez
by zknower on Apr 1, 2009 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
About an hour and a half after you made this post I signed Pedro to my MLB 2K9 Orioles. It’s mid-June and I wanted to add a reliable starting arm because I’m in the thick o’ thangs and my Create-a-Koji is still spotty at best (his ERA is 8.94 but that’s due to a lot of horrendous early starts), so I kicked him to long relief with Baez. My rotation is now Guts, Pedro, Hill, Liz and Hendo. Hendrickson earned his way in when Uehara was kicked earlier in the year.
I tried to trade for someone but the Orioles just don’t have the video game talent to be trading. The trade engine doesn’t exactly understand that Jake Arrieta is better than his 52.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by SC on Apr 1, 2009 2:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I was actually
somewhat excited about this story. Damn, got me good…
Mood about O's rotation: Depressed : (
by sickuvitall on Apr 1, 2009 6:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
more hilarious if....
you said Weiters broke his leg helping Roberts carry a box
by wiggitywhales on Apr 1, 2009 7:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice one, z
I was waiting to see what you’d come up with! Not as heart stopping as the Brian Roberts one from last year, but still awesome.
by Stacey on Apr 1, 2009 8:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This needs to be moved up
Because it’s kind of useless with SC’s whole post about the current rotation above it…
Game Over T-shirts: http://www.cafepress.com/beltwaysports
by CStoneNo37 on Apr 1, 2009 9:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice..
You got me last year… but never again, Z, never again; you bastard.
Jioe Flaacco, Hon!!! "He’s like a live JUGS machine."
by dayzd toe on Apr 1, 2009 9:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Well done, Z. That’s some great photoshopping and fake reportery.
I wonder if I can bill Jeff Lurie and Peter Angelos for the years of therapy their teams are going to put me through.
by BrianS on Apr 1, 2009 9:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I like Guthrie's Twitter feed
That was a nice touch. You didn’t get me, but that’s only because I’d already run across a bunch of April Fool’s stuff this morning. I kinda wish it were true.
by Joltin Joe Orsulak on Apr 1, 2009 9:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice work
This was much funnier than BtB’s story:
Olney: Matt Wieters Out for Season
AndHedges: soo... when do I get to throw a couple of pitches and complain about "tightness?"
by CoachOfEarl on Apr 1, 2009 9:59 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
they all believed it though. wouldnt you check espn or something?
"I’m sure glad he didn’t try to bunt." - DD on Melmo's game winning double, 6/17
by daveh873 on Apr 1, 2009 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There was no link
which should have set off the warning bells. I’ll admit, it had me going for a minute.
I guess some people on the internet post before thinking.
AndHedges: soo... when do I get to throw a couple of pitches and complain about "tightness?"
by CoachOfEarl on Apr 2, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You got me!
Two years in a row. You would think I would learn something.
by Pack Man on Apr 1, 2009 10:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
KNEW IT!
Although it wouldn’t surprise me, as their starting rotation mostly should be starting at Bowie, not even AAA!
Rexx
by Rexx on Apr 1, 2009 10:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I was fooled
I was fooled, but knowing that it was April 1 I went to the Orioles site and MASN and saw nothing. Great April Fool’s Day joke. Of course, our rotation is another one.
by BaltoBen on Apr 1, 2009 10:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice.
Glad SOMEONE else at SBN did an April Fools post.
Here’s mine at Bleed Cubbie Blue.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Apr 1, 2009 10:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Awesome!
Totally fooled me, especially b/c I’ve been using the new version of Safari. Freaked out when I saw the headline in the upper right square of my top sites page. Thanks for making me laugh out loud.
by brooksflow on Apr 1, 2009 11:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I just went to the O’s website and saw nothing about it!
by Robertsfan on Apr 1, 2009 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This so well done.
The photoshop is incredible
by math_geek on Apr 1, 2009 11:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Wow
You definitely got me there. But honestly, why not take a flyer on Pedro when you already are with Eaton and Hendrickson.
by cdavis627 on Apr 1, 2009 11:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Thumbs Up
Almost perfect, but too bad you couldnt ’Shop in his cheesy “thumbs up”
by tim01jmu on Apr 1, 2009 12:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I just noticed....
… that with his face out of context, he looks completely STUNNED.
Like, “What did I just get myself into?”
It's 4 in the morning. Too much to drink. All the girls look hot. So, the Nationals are Jennifer Lopez to me. —Julian Tavarez
by zknower on Apr 1, 2009 12:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Outstanding...
Great job. I loved it and used it to fool a couple guys in the office.
by DempseysArmy on Apr 1, 2009 12:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
YOU BASTARD!
I called my father and told him all about it! ……….. Then i had to call back and explain the April Fool’s tradition! Do you know how hard it is to explain something like that to a disabled vet? Congrats, I guess your goal is accomplished! You got me bro, and my father still dosnt get it hahaha!
by FEARtheTERP1 on Apr 1, 2009 12:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
MacPhail Will Not Address The Pitching
Great Job! Excellent work. A guy in my office was jumping up and down thinking MacPhail had addressed our pitching problems. I knew MacPhail has no clue when it comes to pitching and after looking closely I knew it was a fake. But good job anyway. I wish it was true. Pedro would give us at least one quality pitcher in the rotation.
by Baysox39 on Apr 1, 2009 2:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
ok, this is a light hearted thread and all...
but do you reeeeaaaally think pedro is a better pitcher at this point than guts? really?? and hasnt andy been addressing the pitching since he got here (i.e. tillman, matusz, uehara even…). I get it. we’re gonna suck it this year. We woulda sucked anyway. Pedro doesnt want to be an O regardless.
"I’m sure glad he didn’t try to bunt." - DD on Melmo's game winning double, 6/17
by daveh873 on Apr 1, 2009 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
R U sure about that?
Pedro is looking for a gig, and no contender (i.e. 3+ legit starters) is going to give him a shot. A 1-year deal with a losing team is his best hope, and where better than the O’s, were a 5+ ERA and 6 innings at a pop are starting to look really good (:(). If we could get him for $3 mil + incentives I don’t think that would be a bad deal.
by fishoutawata on Apr 2, 2009 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
well
i’m sure about him not being better than guts, and I know he turned down an offer from pittsburg before it even got past their lips. He wants to go to the mets or dodgers, i figure bmore is waaaaaay down on the list, if its there at all. worth a shot i guess, but all it’d do at the best is grab us a few more wins this year, which will mean squat except maybe a worse draft position and a little more enjoyable games this year.
"I’m sure glad he didn’t try to bunt." - DD on Melmo's game winning double, 6/17
by daveh873 on Apr 2, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you know,
I’d actually say do it.
Our rotation right now is so craptastic that we could be looking at a major team morale problem by June. JUNE!
Pedro is not an innings-eater, but he isn’t a bad guy to have in your clubhouse either.
The last thing we want is to have to Angelos/MacPhail rush someone up because we’re 30-51 at the break. Or worse, sign some other retread.
And LA and the Mets are not going to sign Pedro. That ship has sailed. Pitching in Baltimore, he’s an easy train ride to his house (Westchester), and he’ll get tons of fan love at the Yard.
It's 4 in the morning. Too much to drink. All the girls look hot. So, the Nationals are Jennifer Lopez to me. —Julian Tavarez
by zknower on Apr 2, 2009 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’d take a cheap pedro ($1 to $2M, 1 year). I’ll take anyone over Simon. He’ll probably break down during the season though.
"Your wife told you to play in New York.
Well, my wife told me you look like a dork." Boo Teixeira guys.
by birdman on Apr 2, 2009 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This “the pitching the pitching the pitching” thing where you don’t actually discuss but just say the same thing in every other thread is getting close to spam. We all know your feelings on the pitching.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by SC on Apr 2, 2009 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Don’t laugh. This could happen. LOL! It would be our modus operandi(did i spell that right?)
by johnnyo3838 on Apr 1, 2009 2:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
BEST DAMN APRIL FOOLS GAG
HAD ME BUFFALOED ,I WAS SO EXCITED.& THEN IT HIT ME!!!!!!!
GOOD JOB IT WAS GREAT WHILE IT LASTED SAY OH ABOUT 60 SECONDS.
WOW WOW WOW.
by hagers on Apr 2, 2009 1:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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