PEPPER: Pedro Out. Takes foreign-born players with him

The Mets needed two pitchers with no questions. They needed Johan Santana to get off to a good start. Check. They needed Pedro Martinez to stay in one piece.

Not so much.


Pulled his hamstring; Mets pulled their pennant hopes

As a Cubs fan, I'm tempted to point out that Jason Marquis is available. But then he's going to Baltimore in the Brian Roberts deal, which both teams are trying to get done before Opening Day. 2013, that is.

Meanwhile, the number of foreign-born players in MLB is down. And it's down even more when you account for the fact that Puerto Rico is -- ahem -- part of the United States.

The Dominican Republic had the most with 88 -- a decrease of 10. It was followed by Venezuela (52), Puerto Rico (29), Japan (16), Canada (14), Mexico (11), Cuba (eight), Panama (five), Australia (four), Taiwan (three), Colombia, Curacao and South Kwo apiece), and the Netherlands, Nicaragua and the U.S. Virgin Islands (one apiece). [Any error sic]

That said, who knew Taiwan was a baseball hotbed? At least if China invades, baseball will be able to look for more refugees in the future. Though the boat ride's a little longer than from Cuba, no?


Tom Tancredo hears that number of dangerous illegal immigrants in baseball is down.

Average salary: $3.15 million. Something to remember the next time a baseball player says it's not about the money. Which will happen the next time a player signs a multiyear, nine-figure deal.

Meanwhile, Alex Rodriguez makes more than the Marlins. The entire team. And he'll make even more if Sam Zell convinces him to sell his naming rights. (And now, playing third for the Yankees, the Budweiser Alex Rodriguez.)

Cubs 100 Watch. Moises Alou says he wouldn't have caught the Bartman ball. Of course not. If Bartman hadn't gotten in the way, the goat would have.