Green Bay -- For young Dominican gamers of the Millennial generation, Pedro Martinez ended up being 'the guy.'

The three-time Cy Young Award success captured the affection and appreciation of pitchers looking to become stars. Few were trying to adhere to in the footsteps of the additional Dominican pitcher who would appear five years later.

'When I was becoming an adult, I just liked to watch Pedrolati Martinez,' 24-year-old Mets closer Jenrry Mejia said. 'I certainly not watched Bartolo Colon.'

Mejia was 8 years old and still breaking within his American football glove when Colon earned his first Major League win on June 7, 1997. Back then, 200 wins had been too daunting a number to be able to even consider.

'I never thought that. Never thought I was going will make 200 wins in the large leagues,' Colon mentioned.

But 17 years later, Digestive tract hit his mark, and Mejia relished the opportunity to secure the particular 200th win of the pitcher His or she is grown to admire and also loves to watch.

'It means a great deal,' Mejia said about getting the save in Friday's 5-4 victory within the Phillies at Citizens Bank Playground.

After all, His had made a assure to his countryman.

'When we were household, and [Colon] said, '[I'll soon be] another game to be at 2 hundred,'' Mejia said. 'I said, 'I'm going to preserve that game.''

Mejia made sure this individual did.

'When I see the game, 5-4, 2 out, man on the third, I said, 'Oh, God. We made a promise to them. I need to save this game,'' Mejia explained.

Colon has enjoyed his reasonable of moments in the spotlight -- for example, during his 21-win Cy Young Award year in 2005 -- but nothing like Martinez, who owned it all through his career.

But with Friday's win, Colon cemented himself inside Dominican American football lore, proper alongside Martinez, who finished his career with 219 wins, and the only other Dominican to succeed in the 200-win mark, Hall regarding Famer Juan Marichal (243).

'Certainly well deserved,' Mets manager Terry Collins explained. 'To reinvent yourself after precisely what His was years ago, and still being able to perform at the stage he's performed and get 200 games? You just consider it. That's a lot of wins. What a tremendous, tremendous feat intended for him.'

Colon's durability early and also late in his career has certainly played a key role, but even as a 41-year-old, his stuff is still fooling the opposition.

'He does a good career of changing speeds with his fastball,Inches said Phillies third baseman Cody Asche, who proceeded to go 0-for-4 on Friday. 'He mixes a number of four-seamers in there to keep you honest. I think he's good at studying the hitter, too. Type of being a step ahead of your ex. I think that's why he's made it through so long in this game and done so well. He's challenging.'

The man behind the plate for Colon's 200th victory saw it, too.

'He chucked great today. I'm simply honored to be a part of it,In Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud said.

'It's fun [to catch him]. It is really fun, that's for sure. It's really fast and it makes it enjoyable for me.'

Colon enjoyed it, too. As well as he's expecting to hear from this Dominican legend whose organization His joined.

'Not yet, although I'm expecting a call by [Martinez],' Colon said. 'But I'm really good and happy to be in that category.'

Green Bay, Ariz. -- Jeff Samardzija's goal in 2010 is to be more efficient, so strolling the leadoff batter wasn't an increase.

'It must have been the fireworks or something,' Samardzija said, laughing. 'I consider it was the first time the Cubbies ever had fireworks.'

Samardzija started in the Cactus League operator in the first game with new Cubs Park on Thursday, and survived that will first-inning glitch and the fireworks to turn by 50 percent scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts.

The right-hander has been a hot topic in trade gossips, and there were plenty of scouts at the game, and not just for the commemorative pin celebrating the stadium's very first.

'You're not really worried about too much,Inch Samardzija said of the scouts. 'You assume they may be there every game. I want to wear a good show for them.'

The Azure Jays and D-backs were among the organizations believed to be interested in adding the right-hander to their rotation. Did they even think about pitching with regard to Arizona?

'No, I've only played for the Cubbies, so I only know one team to play for and that's here,' His said. 'I don't be concerned about that too much.'

Samardzija is paying this spring thinking more details on throwing more strikes, and His has talked to teammate Travis Lumber about that.

'That's one of our goals, to reduce on walks for me along with him and for the staff and provides it everything,' Wood said. 'We want to try to take a new team and try to win with it.'

Cubs manager Rick Renteria has watched Samardzija from the other side of the subject and been impressed.

'He's a man who's going to take the soccer ball every fifth day, incredibly competitive, continues to want to refine his craft beyond simply just pitching 200 innings a year,Inches Renteria said. 'He wants to be a good pitcher. His wants to be considered a polished guy who can attack hitters in any given circumstances. He's got most of that battle previously taken care of.

'I think every year His goes out there is basically displaying he's getting closer and also closer to what His wants to be in the end as a slick Major League pitcher.'Kids Darnell Savage Jr. Green Bay Packers Jerseys Uniform >

That's just what the scouts are looking for.

'If anything [the rumors] just place a chip on your shoulder therefore make you want to go out and prove a lot more,' Samardzija said. 'That's the thing about this game is that you're continuously going out to prove yourself. Regardless of the your contract situation is actually or anything like that. The thing that matters is proving on your own that day against the team you happen to be playing against.

'It's a tough video game, so when you do do well, this feels good personally and you build on that for your next time out and also the time after that,' His said. 'If you're not your own hardest cruci and not checking yourself more difficult than anyone else, then you have a problem. I'm my hardest cruci and I'll always be this way.'

The rumors are not going to go away, in addition to Samardzija knows that. The Cubs have got talked to him about a long-term package, but the two sides obviously haven't agreed on terms. This right-hander said he'd be surprised in the event that His was dealt prior to season began.

'From what it sounds like right now, we're going head over heels for the season using this team,' Samardzija said of the Cubs. 'Rick's made it very clear we have been here to win, i always love. I love to hear your pet talk about his excitement intended for winning. Not development -- improvement is part of it, but Rick's Simply no. 1 goal is succeeding, and me and them are 100 percent on the same webpage when it comes to that. We want to acquire, we want to win here and we want to win now.'

To do that, Samardzija has to focus on his goal, which is being more efficient.

'His mindset is way different,' Dallas catcher Welington Castillo said. 'What I see the difference is the fact he's down in the sector. His told me, 'I want to get speedy outs, early outs, so I can go longer amongst people. I want to get my best try to sell down in the zone and also let them hit it.Wi He's pretty good. I hope they can continue to get better and better. His has been one of those key guys for us, too.'

Said Samardzija: 'It's more a mindset change. It's preparation for each and every pitch. I get in trouble when I get caught up in my pitches and not taking my time and getting yourself ready for the next pitch. Today I was going through my sequences between pitches and was at ease with my pitch selection moving in with the pitch.'