Around The Horn

Pedro Martinez is mad, and it is not hard to understand why.

He missed a start last Thursday against the A's with a severe case of pharyngitis and a fever that reached 101, yet there were media and fans wondering if the Red Sox ace had ducked the start.

This has to be as good an example of how ridiculous some fans and some media members can be. Martinez, you see, has stopped talking to the media in Boston, which has led to a lot of back biting and sniping toward the guy on whose back the Red Sox hopes rest.

These same folks must not remember the playoffs in 1999 when a sore-armed Martinez came on in relief to pitch six innings of no-hit ball against what was a very powerful Cleveland Indians lineup, and led the Sox to the AL championship series. Very few would have even attempted to pitch that day, and even fewer could have duplicated the results. It was as gutsy a performance as you will ever see.

pharyngitis is a sever inflammation of the throat. It wasn't like he stayed home with a few sniffles.

Dr. Gerald Burke, Chief of Otolaryngology at the UCLA School of Medicine told the Boston Globe, "If he has an acute infliction, he's probably so lethargic he wouldn't be able to pitch if he wanted to, his throat could be so sore, he can't drink and is dehydrated and could even need an IV."

Martinez spent six hours at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton, where he had a battery of tests performed including a CAT-scan, which was negative, and an ultrasound. His white blood cell count was elevated.

A Boston scribe was heard on a radio interview on New York's WFAN saying, "I don't know if he is sick," and continued on, dripping with sarcasm about how Pedro gets special treatment.

Huh? Did you read what was written in your own paper?

This same scribe (I will not mention the name here) hammered Pedro a few weeks ago for leaving the team, in between starts, to accept the honor of lighting the torch for the beginning of the Pan Am Games in his native Dominican Republic.

Is it any wonder why some ballplayers refuse to speak to the media?

Kevin Millar, Red Sox first baseman, said it well. "I love this team, and this city, but some of the things you see and read, it's like; Uncle, turn the page. It's a new team. It's 2003."

What many do not seem to understand is that in sports, or in any other profession, the best do get treated differently. They earn that by being the best.

It's also interesting that Albert Pujols, one of the favorites for the MVP in the National League, sat out two games last week with flu like symptoms, (and conveniently used the time to pay for the two-game suspension he had) with his team in a pennant race and nothing was said.

Martinez was at the ballpark for a light workout Sunday, after which Manager Grady Little announced he would start Monday night against the Mariners. Pedro was not talking and reportedly was steamed by the response to his illness. As well he should be.

Pedro is mad, and this does not bode well for the Mariners, who have never beaten him.

Around the Horn

Baseball lost two members of its family in the past few days. Bobby Bonds, 57, father of Barry and a fine player in his own rite passed away, as did legendary Red Sox announcer Ken Coleman at 78. Bonds hit 332 lifetime homeruns and stole 461 bases. He recently worked for the Giants as a special assistant to GM Brian Sabean. Coleman broadcast Red Sox games for 20 years and also was a longtime Cleveland Brown and Indians announcer. He was one of the founders of the Red Sox booster club and ran the Jimmy Fund. He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2000... A tip of the hat to Yankee owner George Steinbrenner and baseball commissioner Bud Selig, who stepped up big with large donations to the annual Jimmy Fund drive this past week. Red Sox ownership also chipped in to enable the drive to reach the $1 million mark. The Jimmy Fund is a charitable organization that fights cancer in children... The Central Division races in both leagues continue to be the best races as only 1/2 game separates the top three teams in the NL Central with the Astro's and Cardinals tied and the Cubs trailing. The White Sox hold a one game lead over the Royals, with the Twins 1-1/2 out... The Cardinals made a few moves to try and strengthen their pitching last week, acquiring Sterling Hitchcock from the Yankees for two minor league prospects, and Mike DeJean from the Brewers for a player to be named later... The Royals, with a patchwork rotation acquired lefty starter Brian Anderson from the Indians to bolster their staff for the stretch run... Watch out for the Brewers, who won their sixth straight game Sunday. It was the first time in six years the team had done so... By now you have probably seen the adventure on the bases by Oriole Jack Cust against the Yankees, which ended the game and left the Orioles losing by a run. First day on those new legs Jack?