Spring Training: Betting on a pair of aces
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Boston's top pitchers Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling each looked strong Tuesday night against Cincinnati, but the Red Sox lost, 3-2

By TOM HANSON, tahanson@naplesnews.com
March 10, 2004

FORT MYERS — In 1948, the Boston Braves' cry was "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain."

In 2004, the Boston Red Sox shouldn't be crying about their sensational No. 1 and No. 2 pitchers. But they just might have their own catchy saying.

"Pedro and Schilling, isn't life thrilling!" has a nice ring to it. That's how manager Terry Francona felt about sending his two top starters, Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling, to the mound against the Cincinnati Reds. But they were only the second and third best pitchers Tuesday night at the City of Palms Park.

Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax made a surprise visit, perfectly completing Francona's day.

"I got to visit with Sandy Koufax before the game and then got to watch Pedro and Schilling," Francona said. "It doesn't get better than that."

His day was so good that Francona didn't even care that the Red Sox fell to the Reds, 3-2.

The Reds, who brought all of their big bats from Sarasota, also were a little pumped. Cincinnati managed only three hits off the two aces but scraped together two runs.

Red Sox outfielder Gabe Kapler tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth inning with a solo home run, his first of the spring. But the Reds manufactured a run off their old teammate Scott Williamson in the eighth to pull out the victory.

Martinez gave up just one run in two innings of work. In his 32/3 innings, Schilling only had one blemish: a solo home run by Reds outfielder Adam Dunn to start the fourth.

It was Martinez' first live action of the spring. He was happy not to look like a fool and finish basically unscathed.

"I got in a few good innings and the results don't count," said Martinez, who was 14-4 last season without spending a day on the disabled list. "The fact that I feel fine, feel healthy is good enough."

The reason for the late Martinez starting assignment was due to the fact that he missed the first three days of camp. He showed a bit of rust early on Tuesday night.

Martinez walked his first batter, D'Angelo Jimenez, on five pitches. One out later, the Reds' second baseman came around to score on a double by Ken Griffey Jr. It was the only hit, and run, that Martinez allowed.

He settled down after that, not allowing another baserunner and striking out two of his next five batters.

Martinez, who has led the American League in ERA three of the past four years, was on a limited pitch count. He threw 34 pitches and 20 were strikes. He said he threw three breaking balls, four change-ups and the rest fastballs.

"It took me awhile to get my rhythm because the mound was a little higher than normal," Martinez said. "And I was a little concerned about that and I opened up and that's why I left some pitches up."

In Schilling's second outing of the spring — his first against big-leaguers — he gave up his first run. On his first pitch of the fifth inning, Reds outfielder Adam Dunn hit a shot deep into the night and over the right-field fence.

Nomar Garciaparra was back in the lineup for Boston, and went 0-for-3.

Aside from the one mistimed fastball, Schilling looked impressive. He had five strikeouts and allowed no walks.

"I threw 45 pitches but I felt great when I came out of the game," said Schilling, about his rare relief appearance. "I felt like I could have gone the whole game."

When he was taken out of the game after making Griffey look bad — striking out — on a curve ball, Schilling threw a mock tantrum as manager Terry Francona walked out to the mound. But then the 37-year-old smiled and handed his skipper the ball.

Francona laughed, knowing he was joking and this was spring training. He knows that won't be the case when the regular season starts.

"I'm going to irate him a little at the beginning of the year," Francona said about pulling Schilling before he wants to come out of the game. "But part of my responsibility is to keep him and the rest of the staff productive come August and September."

Martinez agreed that more innings late in the season are more important than spring training.

As for him and Schilling being the key to get to the World Series, he said much like Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain, he had a couple of other reliable arms: Vern Bickford and Bill Voiselle. The 2004 Red Sox are going to need more than two pitchers.

"We need the other three guys to also step up. Two guys are not going to do it," Martinez said. "We need all five of us to do our job and have the relievers pick us up when they have to. Staying healthy will be the key."

Source: Naples Daily