Changes

The Phillies may be treading water at the moment, but their divisional rivals have been taking some on.

If the Mets’ sign Pedro Martinez to a four-year contract it should come as good news to the Phils. Martinez is hardly the same pitcher he was when last seen in the National League in 1997. Moreover, the Mets are inexplicably tying up a lot of money in guaranteeing Martinez four years. Many pundits are already likening this deal to the disastrous Mo Vaughn signing of a few years ago. The one saving grace for the Mets? The deal isn’t official yet.

Meanwhile, down in Atlanta, the Braves are hardly the same club they were last year having already lost starters Jaret Wright, Paul Byrd and Russ Ortiz. John Smoltz, one of the game’s dominant closers, will return to the starting rotation which is also good news for the Phillies. Instead of the possibility of facing him twice in a four-game series, Smoltz will be limited to one appearance, albeit a long one.

Further south, in Florida, the Marlins have failed to re-sign Carl Pavano. They have, however, picked up Todd Jones from the Phillies. This can only be classified as terrific news for the Phils. Their likely chief rivals for the NL East title lose their best starting pitcher from last season (based on won-lost records) while picking up a guy who gave up 35 hits in 25.1 innings of “relief” work in Philadelphia and blew just about every save opportunity he was handed.

Along the banks of the Potomac, the Nats (catchy it ain't) are still trying to decide how to fund a new stadium, a stumbling block that some say could squelch the entire move. The likelihood of the Nats picking up and moving again is more than remote but it must be more than a little disconcerting to the good folks inside the Beltway to read stories about their new team that still refer to them as the Expos. Before the ink dries on the birth certificate it isn’t too late to change the name.