Toronto Pitcher Seeks Inside Info On Martinez’ Homer

Even a day later, after watching it again and again on videotape, Paul Quantrill could not believe the home run Edgar Martinez had hit against him.

That homer, Martinez’ first of the year, had come Friday night in the SkyDome - the same night Ken Griffey Jr. hit two, one of those a 451-foot blast. Quantrill, however, was mystified only by Martinez’ solo shot.

“If he doesn’t hit that pitch, it might hit him,” Quantrill said. “I can’t throw a ball any further inside and not hit him, and he hits that ball out? I’ve never seen anyone turn on that pitch and hit it with that kind of power.”

Happens all the time, Martinez said, when he’s going well.

“I go through streaks where I hit best when I see that inside pitch,” he said. “I shorten up my stride, my swing, and I take my back hand off the bat after contact …”

Sound simple? It’s not.

“You can’t teach what Edgar does on that pitch,” hitting instructor Lee Elia said. “You’ve got to do so many things right, but it starts with the hips, with the pivot that lets you get the bat head through the hitting zone and on that inside pitch.”

Notes

The flu that has hit about 10 members of the Mariners traveling party caught broadcaster Rick Rizzs on Saturday, sidelining him in the team hotel. That same bug has bitten closer Norm Charlton harder than anyone - he’s been sick for a week, and not just mildly ill. “I’ve gotten liquid through tubes,” he said, “I’ve never been this sick in my life.” He’s been unable to pitch this week, and the Mariners aren’t certain when he will be ready… . With a pair of doubles Saturday, seven of Alex Rodriguez’ nine hits this season have gone for two bases, and he leads the team. In his first 65 big-league games, Rodriguez had six doubles.