Mets lose Martinez for postseason due to torn leg tendon

ATLANTA -- Pedro Martinez's injury plagued season came to an end -- less than a week short of the playoffs.

The New York Mets learned Thursday that their ace is done for the year with a torn tendon in his left calf muscle.

Instead of pitching Game 1 in next week's NL division series, Martinez will be in the early days of a four- to six-week recovery period. While surgery won't be necessary, there's no chance of the three-time Cy Young Award winner pitching again in 2006, even if the Mets make it all the way to the World Series.

"It's going to be sad because he's not here," Julio Franco said after the Mets' 7-4 victory over Atlanta, which snapped a four-game losing streak. "But we have to do it with the guys we've got, like we've been doing it the whole season."

Martinez returned to New York after getting knocked around badly in his final start of the regular season Wednesday night, a 13-1 loss to the Braves. An MRI showed a tear in the left calf -- different from the right calf injury that recently put him on the disabled list for a month and was thought to be his major concern.

Surgery won't be necessary for Pedro Martinez, but there's no chance he'll pitch again this season. (AP)

"He did mention (Wednesday) that he felt some pain in the other leg," general manager Omar Minaya said.

The Mets managed to win their first NL East title since 1988 with Martinez (9-8) battling injuries most of the season. He was bothered in spring training by a sore toe, went on the DL at midseason with an ailing hip and fell short of 10 wins for only the second time in his 14-year career.

"We've had a little bit of a cloud of uncertainty wondering: Is he healthy? What's the rotation? Who's pitching?" left-hander Tom Glavine said. "A lot of that stuff goes away now. We can start focusing on who the guys are who are here, who are going to be able to pitch, who are going to try to help us win. That is going to be helpful for us mentally."

Orlando Hernandez will start Game 1 in the best-of-five division series, the slot that was supposed to go to Martinez. Glavine will go in Game 2.

Manager Willie Randolph said he hasn't decided on the rotation beyond the first two games at Shea Stadium.

"It stings a little bit," Randolph said. "Geez, we'd love to have (Martinez), but it is what it is."

The Mets wrapped up the division title with nearly two weeks left in the regular season and looked to be a strong favorite to reach the World Series from a league that will have no other playoff team with 90 wins.

But, with Martinez out, New York would appear to have one glaring weakness: starting pitching. Beyond Hernandez (11-11) and Glavine (14-7), the other potential playoff starters are Steve Trachsel, whose 15 wins are mitigated by an ERA of nearly 5.00, and six-game winner John Maine, a rookie.