Martinez says he has a tear, then cuffs Duquette
By Bob Hohler, Globe Staff, 9/5/2001
Livid that Dan Duquette declared him healthy enough to continue pitching, Pedro Martinez yesterday lambasted the Red Sox general manager and asserted for the first time that he spent two months on the disabled list because of a minor tear in his rotator cuff.
Martinez, disputing the team's assertion that he had only inflammation in his multimillion-dollar shoulder, said he first learned about the tear two weeks ago when he received a second opinion from Lewis Yocum, team physician for the Anaheim Angels.
''I was never told that I had a minor tear in my shoulder, and I found out when I went to California,'' Martinez said. ''Once I heard `tear,' I flipped out a little bit.''
The three-time Cy Young Award winner cited the more serious diagnosis in lashing out at Duquette for stating Sunday that Martinez is ''not hurt'' and should remain in the rotation because ''we're paying him a lot of money to pitch.''
''What I don't appreciate is Duquette saying I'm healthy because, damnit, it's not true,'' he said. ''I'm doing the best I can to help the team. I don't need to be pushed. If you want, I can leave you the damn paycheck up there [in the front office]. Take it, and I'll go home and rehab my shoulder and not feel guilty about anything.''
In an impromptu 25-minute news conference in the Sox clubhouse before the team went out and lost their ninth straight game - 8-5 to the Indians - Martinez repeatedly criticized Duquette for his apparent lack of concern for his health.
''He's not going to put me at risk,'' Martinez said. ''If I'm hurting, I'm just going to shut it down. If he wants to take my check, he can take it. When I came here, I was a millionaire. It's not going to make me any richer by forcing me to pitch. He's not going to force me to pitch.''
Duquette, who was also dealing with discontent in the clubhouse over the demotion and subsequent firing of coach John Cumberland, was not available for comment. But he said on his pregame radio show, ''The team is not going to put a player at risk of injury. Pedro knows his body very well and he's very capable of knowing when he's hurt and when he's healthy and capable of pitching. And I trust he'll make the right decision for all parties.''
Sox spokesman Kevin Shea said an examination of Martinez by team doctor Bill Morgan did not reveal a tear in the rotator cuff.
''We did an MRI in which dye is utilized, and there was no leakage of the dye in the shoulder,'' Morgan said through Shea. ''If there was a tear, there would have been leakage.''
Shea said that, according to Morgan, who spoke with Yocum, the California specialist confirmed the original diagnosis of inflammation. Martinez has had wear and tear, Morgan told Shea, and ultimately the most important thing is to pay attention to the symptoms and treat them accordingly. Efforts to reach Yocum last night were unsuccessful.
Manager Joe Kerrigan said minor tears are a common occupational hazard.
''I think if you examine any pitcher out there,'' he said, motioning to the clubhouse, ''they'll have a small, minor tear in their rotator cuff.''
Duquette, on his radio show, likewise downplayed Martinez's assertion that he suffered a tear: ''The difference between a sprain, a strain, a pull and a tear is all a matter of degree. If you look at the shoulders of all major league pitchers and you know the number of innings that Pedro has over his career, you know they'll all have sprains and strains and pulls and tears. But it's really all a matter of degree.''
To Martinez, who turns 30 next month, it's of the utmost importance. His older brother, Ramon, was 29 when he experienced a minor tear in his rotator cuff in 1997. A year later, he suffered a full tear, underwent surgery, and was never the same pitcher. He retired this spring at age 33 after a final comeback try.
''I don't want to be pushed like I have been pushed lately and misjudged like I'm probably being misjudged right now,'' Martinez said, ''because if I'm not healthy I'm not going to lie about it.''
And he insisted he is not healthy.
''Even though I feel better and more comfortable on the mound, my arm is giving me the same signs as before I went on the DL,'' he said. ''It's getting fatigued and heavy.''
Kerrigan, who watched Martinez throw on the side before last night's game, said there was no change in the pitcher's status. Martinez's next scheduled start is Friday, against the Yankees, in New York. It would be his third start since he returned from the DL.
''I expect him to pitch Friday, too,'' Kerrigan said. ''We're not eliminated.''
Martinez said his brother and many of his teammates have advised him to shut down for the season and prepare for next year.
Scott Hatteberg, who caught Martinez in his last outing, said the club should pursue a cautious course if the pitcher is in pain.
''There's no sense hurting such a young guy with such a bright future,'' he said.
And though Martinez said he has faith that Kerrigan will spare him from further damage, he was mystified by Duquette.
''I think Dan knows about as much about medicine as I do, maybe less,'' he said. ''That's why I'm surprised he said I'm healthy. After a month of rehabbing my shoulder, I guess he thought it was enough for a pitcher to go out there and gas it up and throw 98 [miles an hour].''
What's more, Martinez said of Duquette, ''Just come straight to me and say, `You're healthy,' and if you don't know, just shut up and go to the trainers and ask somebody who knows.
''If you don't know [the facts], you're going to get in trouble with your players. As much respect as I have for him, it's not right for him to say that.''
David Cone, who sat near Martinez during his lengthy discussion, suggested the whole mess could have been avoided.
''I think it's disappointing that this is playing out in the media, tit for tat, back and forth,'' he said. ''I hope [Martinez, Kerrigan, and Duquette] will all sit down and come to a reasonable conclusion as to what to do.''
For the time being, Martinez said, he plans to continue preparing to pitch Friday.
''I owe it to myself and the fans and the team,'' he said. ''That's the only reason I'm going to do it, not because of what Duquette says.''
The bottom line, Duquette said on his pregame show, is, ''We're going to leave it up to him to let us know how he's feeling.''
Jack feel free to move this if you feel it's necessary.
I'd either bet against them or stay away.
Good Luck
By Bob Hohler, Globe Staff, 9/5/2001
Livid that Dan Duquette declared him healthy enough to continue pitching, Pedro Martinez yesterday lambasted the Red Sox general manager and asserted for the first time that he spent two months on the disabled list because of a minor tear in his rotator cuff.
Martinez, disputing the team's assertion that he had only inflammation in his multimillion-dollar shoulder, said he first learned about the tear two weeks ago when he received a second opinion from Lewis Yocum, team physician for the Anaheim Angels.
''I was never told that I had a minor tear in my shoulder, and I found out when I went to California,'' Martinez said. ''Once I heard `tear,' I flipped out a little bit.''
The three-time Cy Young Award winner cited the more serious diagnosis in lashing out at Duquette for stating Sunday that Martinez is ''not hurt'' and should remain in the rotation because ''we're paying him a lot of money to pitch.''
''What I don't appreciate is Duquette saying I'm healthy because, damnit, it's not true,'' he said. ''I'm doing the best I can to help the team. I don't need to be pushed. If you want, I can leave you the damn paycheck up there [in the front office]. Take it, and I'll go home and rehab my shoulder and not feel guilty about anything.''
In an impromptu 25-minute news conference in the Sox clubhouse before the team went out and lost their ninth straight game - 8-5 to the Indians - Martinez repeatedly criticized Duquette for his apparent lack of concern for his health.
''He's not going to put me at risk,'' Martinez said. ''If I'm hurting, I'm just going to shut it down. If he wants to take my check, he can take it. When I came here, I was a millionaire. It's not going to make me any richer by forcing me to pitch. He's not going to force me to pitch.''
Duquette, who was also dealing with discontent in the clubhouse over the demotion and subsequent firing of coach John Cumberland, was not available for comment. But he said on his pregame radio show, ''The team is not going to put a player at risk of injury. Pedro knows his body very well and he's very capable of knowing when he's hurt and when he's healthy and capable of pitching. And I trust he'll make the right decision for all parties.''
Sox spokesman Kevin Shea said an examination of Martinez by team doctor Bill Morgan did not reveal a tear in the rotator cuff.
''We did an MRI in which dye is utilized, and there was no leakage of the dye in the shoulder,'' Morgan said through Shea. ''If there was a tear, there would have been leakage.''
Shea said that, according to Morgan, who spoke with Yocum, the California specialist confirmed the original diagnosis of inflammation. Martinez has had wear and tear, Morgan told Shea, and ultimately the most important thing is to pay attention to the symptoms and treat them accordingly. Efforts to reach Yocum last night were unsuccessful.
Manager Joe Kerrigan said minor tears are a common occupational hazard.
''I think if you examine any pitcher out there,'' he said, motioning to the clubhouse, ''they'll have a small, minor tear in their rotator cuff.''
Duquette, on his radio show, likewise downplayed Martinez's assertion that he suffered a tear: ''The difference between a sprain, a strain, a pull and a tear is all a matter of degree. If you look at the shoulders of all major league pitchers and you know the number of innings that Pedro has over his career, you know they'll all have sprains and strains and pulls and tears. But it's really all a matter of degree.''
To Martinez, who turns 30 next month, it's of the utmost importance. His older brother, Ramon, was 29 when he experienced a minor tear in his rotator cuff in 1997. A year later, he suffered a full tear, underwent surgery, and was never the same pitcher. He retired this spring at age 33 after a final comeback try.
''I don't want to be pushed like I have been pushed lately and misjudged like I'm probably being misjudged right now,'' Martinez said, ''because if I'm not healthy I'm not going to lie about it.''
And he insisted he is not healthy.
''Even though I feel better and more comfortable on the mound, my arm is giving me the same signs as before I went on the DL,'' he said. ''It's getting fatigued and heavy.''
Kerrigan, who watched Martinez throw on the side before last night's game, said there was no change in the pitcher's status. Martinez's next scheduled start is Friday, against the Yankees, in New York. It would be his third start since he returned from the DL.
''I expect him to pitch Friday, too,'' Kerrigan said. ''We're not eliminated.''
Martinez said his brother and many of his teammates have advised him to shut down for the season and prepare for next year.
Scott Hatteberg, who caught Martinez in his last outing, said the club should pursue a cautious course if the pitcher is in pain.
''There's no sense hurting such a young guy with such a bright future,'' he said.
And though Martinez said he has faith that Kerrigan will spare him from further damage, he was mystified by Duquette.
''I think Dan knows about as much about medicine as I do, maybe less,'' he said. ''That's why I'm surprised he said I'm healthy. After a month of rehabbing my shoulder, I guess he thought it was enough for a pitcher to go out there and gas it up and throw 98 [miles an hour].''
What's more, Martinez said of Duquette, ''Just come straight to me and say, `You're healthy,' and if you don't know, just shut up and go to the trainers and ask somebody who knows.
''If you don't know [the facts], you're going to get in trouble with your players. As much respect as I have for him, it's not right for him to say that.''
David Cone, who sat near Martinez during his lengthy discussion, suggested the whole mess could have been avoided.
''I think it's disappointing that this is playing out in the media, tit for tat, back and forth,'' he said. ''I hope [Martinez, Kerrigan, and Duquette] will all sit down and come to a reasonable conclusion as to what to do.''
For the time being, Martinez said, he plans to continue preparing to pitch Friday.
''I owe it to myself and the fans and the team,'' he said. ''That's the only reason I'm going to do it, not because of what Duquette says.''
The bottom line, Duquette said on his pregame show, is, ''We're going to leave it up to him to let us know how he's feeling.''
Jack feel free to move this if you feel it's necessary.
I'd either bet against them or stay away.
Good Luck
