Yankees fans get last laugh at Pedro's expense

NEW YORK -- The chants landed on the head of Pedro Martinez right from the beginning of Game 2. "Who's ... your ... da-ddy?" yelled thousands of Yankees fans in unison.

For much of Game 2, Martinez had an answer: I am. I'm your daddy. Now shut up and go to your room.

Indeed, he basically told a Yankee fan to do just that: Be quiet. As Martinez was walking off the field, not long after a positive start yielded two home run blasts, and he was getting heavily abused by fans, one fan in particular caught his eye (and ear).

In one hand, the man held a beer; in the other arm was his young daughter. The curses flowed from the man's craw uninhibited. Martinez said the man's language, in front of his daughter, was so horrid, he had to say something to the fan.

"God, how can you be so dumb to do those things in front of your child?" Martinez said. "What kind of example are you setting?"

Welcome back, Pedro. How ya' been? Did you miss those Yankees fans?

Early on in the 3-1 loss, Martinez used guile, elbow grease and sleight of hand to confound the Yankees. They looked dumbfounded and on a few occasions even frustrated.

Some of Martinez's pitches were so ugly they came with the Flavor Flav seal of approval. But they still bedazzled until the Yankees decoded Martinez and spanked him for two home runs.

The Yankees fought valiantly to get back into this World Series and deserve a great deal of credit for showing the toughness that was lacking in Game 1. A.J. Burnett was outstanding and the implosion many expected from him never came. The only thing that imploded was Philadelphia's intestines.

And Martinez? In the end, that frail body failed him and the man Yankees fans love to hate left the stadium to daddy chants and a loss.

Martinez is normally a stand-up guy but afterwards when meeting with the media he said he'd been feeling ill all week and had slept little. Martinez said that wasn't an excuse but it sure did sound like he was making one.

"I felt kind of winded out there," he said.

Hearing a constant stream of vulgarities will do that to you.

Martinez might have fought hard but the result was still inescapable. He not only lost a chance to bury the Yankees in a 2-0 World Series hole, he lost a personal opportunity to stick a knife in the gut of a team he loves to torture.

The big stage again called on Martinez and while he (again) didn't disappoint, he also didn't transform from daddy to Yankees killer.

Martinez has a special relationship with this team, city and Yankees fans. It's Martinez's sixth career postseason start against the Yankees, tying three others for second all-time.

The hate Yankees fans feel for Martinez is primal and familiar, like old leather. They despise him and he toys with them (and the press). That's what made his appearance against New York in the World Series so special. While with Boston, Martinez had some classic battles against the Yankees and afterwards, always seemed to provide a delicious quote or two that normally only added more spice to the rivalry.

That was no different this week. He gave one of the more hideously stupid comments after declaring he was one of the most important players to ever play in (the old) Yankees Stadium. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Pedro Martinez?

The daddy chants go back to a postgame news conference some years ago when Martinez said, "They beat me. They're that good right now. They're that hot. I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy."

Pedro Martinez pitches a strong game, but it's not enough to give the Phils a 2-0 series lead. (Getty Images)

Martinez pitched six innings, allowed six hits and threw 107 pitches. That number of pitches is just far too many for an aging Martinez. It was impossible to expect him to have quality innings late against this Yankees lineup when throwing that much.

Did Charlie Manuel leave him in the game too long? Manuel and Martinez had a discussion when Martinez was at 99 pitches and Martinez convinced Manuel he was fine. But in reality, he wasn't.

Manuel and Martinez also seem to contradict one another. Martinez said he felt winded at times but Manuel said Martinez told him that he felt good.

It wasn't a huge mistake by Manuel to leave in Martinez (who has made all the right moves in the last two seasons) and it certainly wasn't of the caliber made by Boston manager Grady Little when he didn't take out Martinez during the 2003 ALCS. But it was still a mistake.

The reason it wasn't a huge one is because it seems the Yankees were going to win this game regardless of when Manuel removed him. They seemed as destined to win Game 2 as the Phillies were Game 1.

Despite his mistakes and the excuse making it was still a nice performance by Martinez. Few people thought Martinez even had six quality innings left in that oil can of an arm that throws 12 mph fast balls (despite what he did against the overrated Dodgers). Martinez resembles a scarecrow with a Jheri curl and how that assortment of creaky junk still fools hitters and wasn't routinely sent into downtown Bayonne is a great mystery.

Yet, it worked. His arm might not be the daunting sinewy intimidator it once was but at times it was good enough.

Martinez is that old George Clinton album found worn and dusty in the attic that you're shocked to find still spins.

Even if it's a bit warped.