It’s rare to find a pitcher that can deliver on the mound and with a bat. It’s even more rare to see someone come back after a 2 month injury and do well at both. But Martinez came back with both guns a blazing. The result was a 9-6 win over the Giants.

Although his start was a little off, he ended up completing 6 innings. He gave up seven hits, striking out three. At the bat, he scored a run and an RBI single.

The New York Times reports:

“After his first single, he shimmied at first base and gave a two-gun salute toward the dugout. After his second, which drove in a run in the Mets’ eight-run fifth, Martínez looked at his teammates and offered a hip thrust. His hamstring seemed to respond well to that.”

The Mets have one 6 of the last 8 games, giving a little bit of hope to Willie Randolph, who’s job seems hanging on a thread. The month of June looks promising for a team that has struggled to find it’s groove. They will be playing some of the Major League’s worst teams, giving them the opportunity for some important wins.

Here’s hoping for the beginning of a comeback. To purchase Mets tickets online click on the link.

“Wow” proclaimed Ramon Castro, Pedro Martinez’s batterymate, in response to Martinez’s performance in the Mets’ recent spring win against the Tigers.

At 36, following last years late return from a rotary cuff surgery, Martinez is happy when he doesn’t have to ice his arm after a game. Of course it also helps to stick it to your opponent while feeling good. He pitched four shutout innings. He allowed four hits and struck out four. And in the end, the Mets beat the Tigers 7-4.

His pitching velocity is much stronger than in the past. But Adam Ruibin of the Daily News notes:

“Martinez has been frustrated by preoccupation with his fastball velocity, consistently noting that pitching is the art of location and changing speeds . . . But even Castro . . . was compelled to mention the extra life. It was especially evident in a bases-loaded strikeout of Ramon Santiago . . . Martinez then retired Freddy Guzman on a tapper to first base to end that threat unscathed.”

Who knows. Maybe his training stunt of pitching with his eyes shut paid off. I don’t know, but you can’t argue with results.

This may be a beautiful season for a star veteran with a little more heat in his arm. We may all need to buy our Mets tickets quick to see it for ourselves.

According to the NY Post, Pedro Martinez is trying something crazy during training. He’s pitching occasionally with his eyes shut. He explains:

“It’s to get the feel of your body doing things naturally,” Martinez said. “It helps you mentally. Once you throw with your eyes closed and have no idea where it’s going, it makes it easier to hit the target [when your eyes are open].”

Martinez will be joined this year by Johan Santana, making for a World Series quality team of veteran all-stars. This line-up is expensive, giving them a payroll that may be over 140 million this year. But the great team line-up should prove good for Mets tickets sales which are currently 10 percent above last year.

Expectations are clearly high. With the building of the new stadium, huge salaries on contract, it’s time for the Mets to prove what they’re made of. It’s time for them to have the kind of season that every team is shooting for, but they seem particularly set to achieve.

“We expect to be in the playoffs, and deep into the playoffs,” said Mets CEO, Fred Wilpon. With those kinds of expectations, huge salaries, big ticket sales, this will be a fun season to watch.