Pedro Martinez remains interested in a return to the Phillies.

The three-time Cy Young award winner told the Associated Press Saturday, “(The Phillies) treated me very well and they were very professional. They will always have the door open.”

While the Phillies will passively attempt to upgrade their starting rotation, the focus during the offseason is the bullpen. As it stands now, the Phillies’ rotation consists of Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ and Joe Blanton next year. It’s very possible that Jamie Moyer returns, if deemed healthy, or top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek wins a job out of spring training.

Chances Pedro is a Phillie next year are slim and none.

Also, I absolutely do not expect them to empty the farm system for Roy Halladay or sign second-tier starting pitchers, such as Jason Marquis or Randy Wolf …

The Dud

Pedro Martinez didn't have it.

Not that he was awful. Nor was he the only dud.

But, Pedro was a beaten man right from the get-go. His fastball lacked zip. He fell behind in counts. He couldn’t dazzle his way out of trouble as he had done in prior starts with the Phillies.

In his swan song with the Phillies, Pedro allowed four runs over four innings. Hideki Matsui, the Series MVP, smacked a two-run homer in the second and a two-RBI single in the fourth.

Props to Pedro for gutting it out without his best stuff (by far). I’m proud to say that one of the best pitchers of all-time played for my team.

The Story

Matsui, Andy Pettitte and the Phillies’ inability to do anything with the bats.

Matsui tied a 49-year-old World Series record with six RBIs in one game. He absolutely murdered Phillies pitching, particularly Pedro, against whom he hit two homers. He had a ridiculous batting average and he earned MVP honors WITHOUT starting Games 3, 4 and 5. Impressive.

Pettitte showed no ill effects from having only three-days rest. He’s a helluva big-game pitcher. Pettitte, like CC Sabathia and Damaso Marte, completely neutralized the leftys in our lineup. Pettitte wasn’t brilliant in Game 6, but he was crafty and had pinpoint control of his pitches.

Finally, the Phillies mustered no offense whatsoever. It was one of the few times this season that I thought the team wasn’t really in the game. I’ll never question the team’s heart. Never in a million years, actually. But I certainly wonder if they thought they could really do this — come all the way back from a 3-1 series deficit. I thought, to be honest, they hit the wall. Game 5 was the team’s goodbye party. They went out on top AT HOME, and had nothing left in the tank in Game 6.

The Turning Point

Two plays in the fourth inning that changed the complexion of the game: Shane Victorino’s misread and Matsui’s bases-loaded, two-run single.

Victorino completely misjudged a liner to center field. There was one out in the inning and nobody on base. Had Victorino read the ball properly, we’re talking two outs and no baserunners. Huge.

Eventually, Pedro worked himself into a one-out, bases-loaded jam with Alex Rodriguez at the plate. To his credit, Pedro got A-Rod to strike out looking. However, he had Matsui to deal with… and obviously that match up just didn’t work out.

I don’t fault Charlie Manuel for keeping Pedro in the game with Matsui at the dish. Yes, Matsui has killed Pedro this series, but at the same time, Pedro knows how to pitch and get himself out of trouble. I did not have a problem with Manuel entrusting Pedro to get the job done.

Final Thoughts

First and foremost, congratulations to the New York Yankees for dethroning the defending world champions. They beat us fair and square, no doubt about that. They are the best team in baseball.

It’s been a fun ride. It was a gigantic accomplishment for this Philadelphia Phillies club to get back to the World Series in consecutive years. That just doesn’t happen anymore. Every faithful fan is (or should be) proud of what they have achieved. I am glad to have such a great baseball team in MY CITY. After years and years of suffering through miserable baseball,  the sport is alive and better than ever in Philadelphia.

I look forward to being back here next year. We’ve got a National League title to defend again. With a few tweaks to the roster (bench help! bullpen help! starting pitcher!), we can absolutely, positively make more magic in 2010.

Please come back to Phillies Phandom throughout the offseason. We’ll have plenty of features and news updates coming your way!

Thanks for stopping by!

Go Phillies!

“I look at this situation as a blessing. I mean, what else would I want? I’m doing the job I love. I’m doing something that not everybody gets to do. If you consider the fact that a few months back I was sitting at home not doing anything — none of you were thinking of me whatsoever, none of you were asking me questions — and today I am here, getting ready to pitch in probably one of the biggest games ever in World Series history.”

Pedro Martinez is not the reason why the Phillies dropped Game 2 of the World Series.

In fact, I only fault the three-time Cy Young Award recipient for convincing Charlie Manuel keep him in the game after six innings.

Pedro was finished. He should have never been out there in the seventh.

Still… what more could you have asked from the guy? He’s been very, very good in two postseason starts. He dominated the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLCS, pitching seven shutout innings.

Against the Yankees, he threw six-plus frames and gave up three earned runs. Through six innings, he looked every bit as good as A.J. Burnett, who probably threw the game of his life Thursday night.

The problem is that Pedro’s stellar outings are going by the wayside. The offense simply hasn’t performed during his starts … and it’s been like that since he’s been in Philly.

In two postseason outings, the Phillies have mustered a grand total of TWO RUNS for Pedro.

So … when this series is all said and done, Pedro — we hope — will be looked upon as an unsung hero. He certainly deserves better.

The Dud

Ryan Howard struck out four times

By no means am I putting the entire blame on Howard’s shoulders. The Phillies, as a team,  did not hit. It’s becoming clear that Howard will not get good pitches to hit. Frankly, he got nothing to hit in Game 2.

The Story

Pedro Martinez pitched very well. A.J. Burnett was better.

I’ll admit that I thought the Phillies had a great chance to hammer Burnett, who is the kind of pitcher the Phillies feast on. His entire make up reminds me of Vicente Padilla. He has excellent stuff, but he can get rattled, too, if you’re fortunate enough to jump on him early. Unfortunately, the Phillies really didn’t have a shot against him. He pitched a hell of a game.

Martinez made two crucial mistakes. Mark Teixeira sent a bomb over the center field wall to tie the game at 1-1. In the sixth inning, Hideki Matsui hit a ball that would have been an easy fly ball in any other park — including Citizens Bank Park. It was a great piece of hitting by Matsui and a poor pitch by Martinez, who threw the ball down and in to a left-handed hitter. Not where you want it there, Pedro.

Mariano Rivera got a six-out save. Chase Utley grounded into a twin-killing to end the eighth inning. Yes, he was safe at first base, but you can’t blame the umpire there. It was a bang-bang call.

While Rivera did his job (what else is new?), I think the fact that every batter got at least one AB against him will help the Phillies as the series moves forward.

The Turning Point

Jayson Werth led off the top of the seventh inning with a single. The Phillies trailed, 2-1.

Werth was dancing too far off the bag at first and was thrown out by Jose Molina. That killed whatever momentum the Phillies were trying to gain.

The Next Game

Cole Hamels needs to deliver in Game 3 at CBP on Saturday night. He’ll face a battle tested Andy Pettite, who pitched pretty well against the Phillies at Yankee Stadium in June.

Obviously, it would have been great to take a 2-0 lead into Philly, but a split is nice, too. The Phillies have been dominant at home in the postseason the last two years, losing only one game. By the way, the Phillies are 0-4 in their last four playoff Game 2s, for whatever that’s worth. Actually, it means they are a team that bounces back pretty nicely.

Game 3 is kind of like a second Game 1. It won’t make or break the series for either team.

World Series Game 2

Phillies vs. Yankees

7:57 PM at Yankee Stadium

What could you do with $83 million? A lot of stuff I’m sure. Unspeakable things if you really wanted to. Like no, seriously, you could probably have people killed with that kind of money. But I think I’d rather have A.J. Burnett.

Or maybe not…

Not for a 13-9 record and 4.04 ERA in the regular season. Not with a 4.42 ERA and no wins in three playoff starts. I think I’ll just take my money and invest it in a nice, New York based company. Ok maybe not that either…

I think I’ll just buy myself 83 Pedro Martinez’s. Yea that’ll do the trick, because Pedro’s a stud. Ask Los Angeles, who had to weather his two hit, seven inning outing in the NLCS.

Yankee fans might want to watch their daddy chants. When Pedro manned up and made that comment in 2004, he showed what kind of person he really was. He doesn’t hide from anything. Pedro wants nothing more to be on that mound tonight, and I dare you to fuel his fire.

Oh and about the daddy thing… A-Rod didn’t have the balls (if any are even left) last night to admit Cliff Lee showed him who the real daddy in town was. He didn’t just make him his daddy. He made him, and the majority of the Yankees lineup, his plain out bitch. Lets just say if this were a prison, we know who’d be watching their ass (not their literal ass, Cliff doesn’t roll like that).

Look for Charlie to dig into that bullpen no matter what happens with Pedro. After going untouched last night, the ‘pen will have a full days rest after tomorrow’s travel break. Dear Yankee fans, meet J.A. Happ.

I hate to say it before the game because I hate making a midnight snack out of my words, but Burnett kind of blows. Against the Phillies this year: six innings, five earned, three homers. His last outing: six innings, six earned. When the guy is on, he’s money, but his performance lately and his history against the Phils should get them feelin’ pretty confident.

With a 1-0 lead, I know I am.

Pedro Martinez is going to kick some Yankee ass again.

Charlie Manuel announced on a local radio program Tuesday morning that Pedro Martinez will start Game 2 at Yankee Stadium.

Obviously, Pedro has the most experience pitching against the Yankees. In his only postseason appearance this year, he dominated the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLCS, pitching seven shutout innings.

Cole Hamels could start Game 3, although Manuel hasn’t made that decision.

Pedro Martinez was hit in the shin with a batted ball today during the Phillies’ simulated game. The extent of the injury is unknown, and whether this affects his chances as a Game 2 starter has yet to be determined.

More to come as it’s released.

Brett Myers could return for the World Series, according to an ESPN.com report.

Myers was left off the NLCS roster. The 2009 Opening Day starter was sidelined from May to September after undergoing hip surgery.

Brett Myers, left, in happier times.

Myers didn’t make the NLCS roster in large part because he hadn’t looked particularly good throwing the ball. That, apparently, has changed.

“His stuff is sharper,” GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “His breaking ball’s better. He was pretty crisp with his location. He’s throwing better. And that’s a great sign.”

Adding Myers would likely result in the Phillies carrying 12 pitchers in the World Series. They had 11 pitchers for the NLCS.

Eric Bruntlett or Miguel Cairo would likely be the odd man out for the World Series, if Myers is activated.

Tyler Walker, Kyle Kendrick and Clay Condrey have been throwing simulated games. It’s very unlikely either of those three relievers will be on the World Series roster, unless there is an injury.

ESPN.com also reported that Charlie Manuel will likely make Cole Hamels the Game 2 starter, behind Cliff Lee. Pedro Martinez or J.A. Happ would start Game 3.

It’s possible that Manuel goes with only three starting pitchers. That would allow Lee to start Games 1, 4 and 7.

I love that idea. Why is everyone so hellbent on picking four starting pitchers??? I don’t need to see Joe Blanton or even Happ for that matter make a start in the World Series.  I want Cliff Lee out there as many times as possible…

I just heard an ESPN Radio report that Charlie Manuel is “leaning” toward starting Cole Hamels in Game 2 of the World Series.

Is that the right decision?

Some fans would prefer not to see the lefty at all in the World Series. Um, well, what are you going to do with him? Leave him off the roster? Put him in the bullpen? Nah.

I don’t think Hamels has been Adam Eaton in the playoffs. Yes, he’s had his struggles, but the dude hasn’t been awful.

The best option, in my opinion, is letting Hamels take the mound in Game 3. Cliff Lee is the obvious Game 1 starter. Joe Blanton should pitch Game 2. I like Hamels pitching at home because that would take some of the pressure off (I hope). Pedro Martinez should get the nod in Game 4.

J.A. Happ hasn’t proved that he is ready for the big stage. I think he’s more valuable coming out of the bullpen to face left-handed hitters.

Obviously, the rotation isn’t set in stone, but there’s no possible way Hamels is left out…