looks like Pedro will be sharp
looks like Pedro will be sharp
tho Burkett is pretty unpredictable
Notes: Pedro dazzles on side
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
MILWAUKEE -- The last remaining hurdle between Pedro Martinez and the Fenway Park mound Wednesday night is the ace waking up without significance soreness the next two days. But Martinez took his most vital step back from the disabled list early Sunday afternoon, throwing two simulated innings in the bullpen at Miller Park.
He threw everything from his lively fastball to his signature changeup to his reliable curve.
How did he look? Freddy Sanchez and Jeremy Giambi, the two batters who stepped in against him, would have the best idea.
"Nasty like always," said Sanchez. "He let me know what's coming and it's still amazing. He told me he was throwing a slider or curve, and I was still jumping out of the way. It was that dirty."
From Giambi's perspective, Martinez's stuff was just as filthy.
"He looked great," Giambi said. "He was hitting his spots inside and outside. I don't think he was too far off."
Thanks to a mild strain in his right side (the latissimus dorsi muscle) Martinez last pitched on May 15, when he downed the Rangers at Fenway Park.
"I threw all of my pitches, all of them pretty good, a little erratic with some of them, but you have to expect that," said Martinez. "As far as I know, if I wake up OK tomorrow and the next day, I'll go Wednesday."
That start -- which doesn't figure to be much more than three innings -- will come against the Cardinals. Martinez doesn't have any unfair expectations of himself coming out of the gate.
"I just want to really help the team and be able to do my job," Martinez said. "That's what I want to do."
