Pedro to the rescue

There are those pitchers who have that certain presence on the mound. Not the good ones, I'm talking about the great ones. The pitchers with that certain aura, these guys who are the stuff of legends. Who will forever be remembered by players, experts, fathers and sons. The New York Mets, in the middle of an up and down season that started out as a championship mission, can be happy that one of these great pitchers wears their uniform. His name: Pedro Martinez.

Now of course, Pedro 2008 isn't the same Pedro he was years ago during his golden era. When he was the best pitcher this game has ever seen. But for a team longing for a presence, a leader and every help they can get, Pedro Martinez is more than just a shot in the arm. Not only can he still pitch well, he can put a team on his back. This outing last night against the lowly San Francisco Giants wasn't just about Pedro's solid numbers in the lopsided 9-3 win for the Mets. It was about rejuvenating a dead team that couldn't live up to the expectations so far. Right from the start you could sense an energy around the Mets and a completely new found confidence. Martinez, who touched 92 mph on numerous occasions, was well aware of his role: "I felt good. I can be a leader for this team and I hope I can keep it going." So does Mets manager Willie Randolph, and he is not the only Met who's praying that Pedro stays healthy. For now he is. This might just have been the day the Mets have turned their season around. Now don't get me wrong, they got a long way to go, many games to play and a lot of ground to gain. But with an all time great like Pedro Martinez on my side, I'll take my chances...