Mets say Martinez out for postseason
 

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 pitcher 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 stages 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.

"The bottom line is he's not going to be available," general manager Omar Minaya said Thursday night during the Mets' 7-4 victory over Atlanta that snapped a four-game losing streak.

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.