So Pedro Martinez did just fine in his first start with the Phillies, it appears. What may have helped, though, is the extra five miles per hour he seems to have gained on his fastball since last Wednesday in Reading. Whether that's a product of the extra rest or a fast/slow radar gun somewhere is up to the imagination. What matters, at least to Phillies fans, is that he performed better than Jamie Moyer, which is really all they are asking of him.

I'm sticking with my original prediction that he will eventually flounder and leave Philadelphia wondering why they went out and got him in the first place. Hey, they still have Cliff Lee, though.

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The re-acquisition of Ken Griffey Jr. by the Seattle Mariners seems to have largely been a bust (unless you count sentimental value), but last night he made the patrons at Safeco remember the glory days for an evening.

With the score tied at 0-0 in the 14th, Griffey stroked a pinch-hit, game-winning RBI single off of the White Sox's Tony Pena, setting off a mob scene on the infield.

So while he may not be much help as the M's get the Yanks for four this weekend in the heat of a wild-card race, he brought the success-deprived Seattlites a brief reminder of the good times.

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Speaking of the Yanks (I totally was, check the last paragraph), today marks the 12-year anniversary of my first game at Yankee Stadium. It was Yanks-Royals, Hideki Irabu. Tino Martinez hit one of his 44 home runs that season, and Wade Boggs made a diving catch to end things. Good times.

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