Martinez takes step forward in rehab

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PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Pedro Martinez eagerly awaited his first start this season after a strong spring training in which his surgically repaired right shoulder regained strength.But in the fourth inning of his 2008 debut April 1 at Florida, the New York Mets starting pitcher suffered a setback, not with his arm, but rather his hamstring. It was an injury the three-time Cy Young Award winner claims he's never had."Not depressed, I'm not that kind of person that gets depressed, but it's frustrating how hard I worked," Martinez said after throwing a bullpen session Monday at Tradition Field. "My arm is feeling great. My arm really hasn't given me any problems and now a hamstring. A hamstring, out of all cases a hamstring. Go figure."Martinez laughed incredulously when talking about what is keeping him out of the lineup. He threw 60 pitches and worked on all of his offerings before completing fielding drills.His pitches had life, but Martinez said it's a matter of making sure the doctors approve every step.On Wednesday, he's slated to throw a simulated game against minor league batters."I don't want to have a setback," he said. "That would be the worst-case scenario."Martinez had said during spring training that if he needed another surgery, he would consider retiring as opposed to doing the rehabilitation. That hasn't changed much, but Martinez said this injury was minor and simply required rest."If it was my hips or something and I needed surgery or something, yeah," Martinez said of possible retirement. "And it was mild, too. It's something that you just have to wait for it to heal. Now I'm about to get back. Hopefully it won't happen again. These things keep happening."Mets minor league rehabilitation coordinator Randy Niemann has not speculated about any possible return.Martinez said his words mean little in the matter. Though his arm feels great, the 16-year veteran did not care to guess as to what level he'll pitch at when he returns to help the Mets in their chase for the N.L. East title and a possible trip to the World Series."I don't know, I need to pitch first," Martinez said. "Pitching and being great is not about talking. It's not talking that defines greatness. Greats are defined inside the white lines. That's where you become great or you become whatever you are."As far as Port St. Lucie and rehab, I'm nothing. Nothing counts. It's all wasted words."(Eric Pfahler is a sportswriter for Scripps Treasure Coast (Fla.) Newspapers, The Stuart News, Fort Pierce Tribune and Vero Beach Press Journal. E-mail eric.pfahler(at)scripps.com.)