Vote for Pedro?

Sure, count me in.

Pedro Martinez will become a Phillie today. The team has apparently reached a deal with the former Mets and Red Sox all-star pitcher that will pay him $1 million dollars. And it won’t cost the Phils any players, merely money. In today’s baseball economy, $1 million is like working for minimum wage. I know, it makes you shake your head. Just remember, they don’t operate in the real world.

Martinez likely will make a few starts in the minor leagues before joining the big club and holding down the fifth spot in the Phils’ rotation.

Some scouting reports indicate Martinez was bringing it up there around
93 mph in a couple of outings witnessed in his native Dominican Republic.

Of course that’s not the most intriguing question involving the Martinez signing. The real deal remains what – if any – effect the Martinez signing has on the Phils’ reported interest in Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay. You know, that guy who started for the American League in last night’s All-Star Game.

The Blue Jays might have cooled – at least temporarily – some of the red-hot talk surrounding Halladay when they indicated they would not entertain any deals until the July 31 trade deadline.

That won’t stop the talk. Nor the Phils’ interest.

The price for Halladay won’t be cheap. It likely will involve young phenom Kyle Drabek or J.A. Happ. Maybe both. And more.

The question is whether the Phils are willing to ransom a big chunk of their future for the chance to win now.

And we likely have two weeks to mull it over.