Who Could Be No. 5? No. 45?

While the Mets are still chasing a front of the rotation - well, falling in line behind Johan Santana - starting pitcher, a curious story moved Wednesday night from the Dominican Republic.

The Associated Press story said - vaguely - that Omar Minaya had met with Pedro Martinez in the Dominican and assured Martinez and his agent Fern Cuza that the Mets are interested in bringing Martinez back for a fifth season in New York.

The Mets have made it clear from the start of the winter that Martinez was not a priority and Martinez has made it clear that he would like to return to New York. While that - combined with the Mets signing of Freddy Garcia and Tim Redding - would seem to make for an unlikely reunion, maybe it's not over yet.

A Mets' official confirmed late Wednesday night that the two sides are continuing dialogue, which might be more than you'd expect right now. But a lot of things seem curious. Why was Minaya out of the country on what a team official called, "a scouting mission?" Why was Minaya meeting with Martinez? And why are the Mets continuing dialogue?

I've advocated bringing Pedro back - to the dismay of some of our readers. I just think in the fifth spot in the rotation with backups available, I'd take a shot on Pedro to recapture some of his magic and impart some of his experience.

Does this story mean that it will happen? A lot of things come out of the Dominican Republic that have little truth in the light of day. Are the Mets being polite? Are they helping keep interest in Martinez when the market seems to have shown little?

Hard to say but in light of the dismal market for some of these veterans, might it be worth it for Martinez to return at a very low guarantee? That might make him certainly more appealing than Garcia and Redding.

Comments

[Tom]

We are bringing back Pedro for two reasons..one he can still pitch and two he will help us get Manny!!!

[Steve Popper]

You might be right about that. Pedro told us many times about how he served as an intermediary for Manny in Boston.

[Vern]

I think that Pedro might be a minor league pitching coach, if the Mets can the Oliver Perez nonsence resolved and Pedro is unable to land a starting pitchers job.