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AJ McKenzie
  • 3 days ago
The Yankees call him son
IG: aj_mckenzie416
Twitter: AJMckenzie94847
Transcript
00:00There goes Frasier! There goes Frasier!
00:04United Show Meachie, the Meachie comes in.
00:07I'm going to win! I'm going to win!
00:15The Chicago Bulls have won their sixth NBA championship.
00:20Gibson, swing!
00:21This is going to be a home run! Unbelievable!
00:24Don't believe what I just saw!
00:40Pedro, to me, is not just one of the greatest pitchers of our era.
00:45He's one of the most magnetic figures of our era.
00:49When you talk about Pedro, he's extremely talented.
00:53But I think what stands out is the chip on his shoulder,
00:56which is the size of the Sitco sign,
00:58and it's just his massive chip on his shoulder.
01:01Let me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the eye.
01:03He's not physical, but he'll give you that death stare
01:05to match the stuff that he throws.
01:08And that, almost inexplicably, does give him this ability
01:12to put the fear of God into hitters.
01:15There is a certain edge and fearlessness to him
01:18that the fans love.
01:19He was always going to pitch inside.
01:21Because Pedro didn't get to the major leagues by being timid.
01:25Pedro's a guy who pushed a lot of teams.
01:28He made no mistake about the fact he was going to pitch in.
01:31He was going to pitch in often.
01:35He had a reputation of being a headhunter.
01:38Now, he's an intimidator,
01:39and the way I look at it is that's part of his game,
01:44and that makes him great.
01:48That's part of the allure of Pedro,
01:50is that, you know, he had that reputation,
01:52and guys certainly didn't want to stand in the box
01:54and get comfortable against him.
01:56You know that when he's out there,
01:58you better be leery about what's going on, you know,
02:00because he's old school.
02:06He will demand that side of the plate when need be.
02:09He'll try and let it ride up there,
02:11up and in,
02:13to keep guys from diving all over the plate.
02:16The one to go!
02:17And he hits Carol Williams.
02:19I don't think there was any question in the minds of the hitters
02:23that...
02:24Pedro hit you,
02:26he knew why he was hitting you,
02:28and he knew what you were supposed to think when he hit you.
02:30And he's not very happy.
02:31There he goes.
02:32Hey, hey!
02:34And while Martini's here after being hit by the French,
02:37and both benches were left to...
02:40The reputation is always there.
02:42It's always behind me.
02:43And it's not a bad thing to have.
02:45I don't care what the reaction is going to be.
02:47I might look arrogant to a lot of people,
02:50but it's not my intention to hurt anybody.
02:53I've been hit plenty of times.
02:56I was a National Leaguer.
02:57I got hit.
02:58I even charged him out one time.
02:59And here they go.
03:01Pedro throws his helmet at Mike Williams
03:03and a huge pile out in the middle of the field.
03:07For being a small...
03:09I didn't do too bad charging him out.
03:11It was pretty even.
03:13A fastball that left a vapor trail,
03:16a change-up that paralyzed hitters,
03:18and an eagerness to pitch inside
03:19all combined to make Pedro Martinez
03:22one of the dominant hurlers of his era.
03:24In a seven-year stretch,
03:26he earned three Cy Young Awards,
03:27captured five ERA titles,
03:29and won 82 more games than he lost.
03:35But in game three of the 2003 ALCS
03:38against the Yankees,
03:39he unraveled.
03:41He was cranky.
03:42Something was bothering him.
03:44He didn't have a feel on the ball at all.
03:47Curveball.
03:47That one is hit high and deep down that field.
03:49That one is way back there,
03:50and it is over everything.
03:53When we started getting some hits off Pedro,
03:56it just looked like he got just very upset
03:59and was looking to make a point.
04:01Now Pedro throws,
04:03and he throws one right over the head of Kareem Garcia.
04:06You put my career in danger right there
04:09by hitting me on my head,
04:10and I don't respect that whatsoever.
04:12You can hit me on my shoulder or below.
04:14I had no problems whatsoever.
04:15I would take my base,
04:16but when you throw on my head,
04:17that's a different situation.
04:19I have no respect for that guy.
04:21I don't have anything to prove to that guy.
04:23Who are you, Kareem Garcia,
04:24to try to test Pedro Martinez,
04:26a proven player for 10 years?
04:30That's what I don't understand.
04:31Why would I hit Kareem Garcia?
04:33You don't hit the corners all day long,
04:35and then all of a sudden get whacked around a little bit,
04:37and then just take it
04:39and throw it behind somebody's head.
04:40Yeah, I mean, there was no doubt.
04:42We felt like that it was intentional,
04:43so you're furious.
04:45It felt like we had him on the ropes.
04:46But then to do that,
04:47you know, you hate to see it.
04:49I've seen him take some real shots at people,
04:52and the one he threw at Garcia
04:54kind of just tipped off the situation for me.
04:59Kareem Garcia wants to get into it
05:00with Todd Walker out there.
05:02Now Garcia,
05:03he wanted to pound the flesh from somebody.
05:06And then I turn around,
05:07and I start yelling at Pedro,
05:09and, you know,
05:11just calling him off
05:11before throwing behind my back,
05:13and, you know,
05:14he's saying all kinds of stuff, too.
05:17And Martinez now pointing.
05:19That's the wrong thing to do.
05:22To me,
05:22when you say something like this,
05:24it's going to hit you in your head.
05:26And, you know,
05:26that's what Posada said.
05:27I said, come on,
05:28throw at me,
05:29if you want to do that.
05:31A lot of people might think,
05:32well,
05:32he pointed,
05:33as he said,
05:34while talking to Posada.
05:35What I said was to Posada,
05:37I would remember that you cursed my mom.
05:40Well, that's an unfortunate gesture
05:41at a time like that,
05:42if that's what he's in fact saying.
05:43It was really not a good thing
05:44to be doing at that moment,
05:45and I thought it was embarrassing
05:47to the Red Sox.
05:48Fastball up and in,
05:50and Ramirez is going out toward Roger,
05:52and now the benches have cleared.
05:54And I remember looking out of the corner of my eye
05:56and seeing Zim,
05:57and I almost said,
05:59stay here.
06:00But I know he wouldn't have.
06:01I mean, Don Zimmer,
06:02he's not made that way.
06:04It's this WWF moment
06:06dropped into an American League
06:07championship series.
06:15And just when you think
06:16things can't get any weirder
06:18between these two teams,
06:19you see Don Zimmer
06:20bull rush Pedro Martinez
06:22from across the field.
06:24And now Don Zimmer
06:25has been pushed down
06:26by Pedro Martinez.
06:29I tried to hold him.
06:31I tried to protect
06:33because I understood.
06:34I was fully aware
06:36that it was Zimmer.
06:37I did not mean to hurt him.
06:39The men tried to punch me.
06:42So I stepped aside.
06:44Did not throw a punch whatsoever.
06:46I let him go.
06:48I got bad legs.
06:50I got a titanium knee.
06:52I thought I was going pretty fast,
06:54but I wasn't.
06:56And when I went after him,
06:59he just kind of sidestepped me
07:02and threw me down.
07:03And by that time,
07:04I was out of gas.
07:05I couldn't get up anyhow.
07:07It was Zimmer who was pushed down
07:09face first by Pedro Martinez.
07:11And now he's being attended to
07:13by Steve Donahue.
07:14This has really gotten ugly.
07:17By no meaning,
07:18I want to hurt the guy
07:19at my daddy's age.
07:20By no meaning,
07:20I will raise my hand
07:21against a guy like that.
07:23I'm more of a man than that.
07:27I'm embarrassed
07:28what happened yesterday.
07:31I'm embarrassed for the Yankees,
07:33the Red Sox,
07:35the fans.
07:38Zimmer was so contrite
07:40the next day and tearful.
07:42And Martinez could not bring himself
07:44to offer an apology.
07:46I don't think he took
07:47the full responsibility
07:49for letting that game
07:50get out of control.
07:51but in his mind,
07:52that wasn't his fault.
07:53The man owes me no apology.
07:56If he wants to apologize
07:57anything,
07:57he should apologize
07:58to Garcia for throwing
08:00in his head.
08:01Not me.
08:02He don't owe me nothing.
08:04I don't owe him either.
08:06A prisoner of his machismo,
08:09Martinez has always been goaded
08:10on by slurs about his size.
08:13Despite all his success,
08:14he still feels a constant need
08:16to prove himself.
08:18He was the little guy
08:19who made it.
08:20He was the little guy
08:21who got picked on a little bit
08:22when he was very young.
08:23He was the guy
08:24that was always told,
08:25you're too small,
08:26you're too skinny
08:26to be a major league pitcher.
08:28And he fuels off of that.
08:37I don't think I have the words
08:39to describe how important
08:40baseball is for
08:42the Dominican Republic.
08:47Every kid in this country
08:49wants to be a baseball player.
08:50Now they know
08:51you can be rich overnight
08:53if you become
08:54a major league player.
09:09In the Dominican country,
09:10I haven't seen a pitcher
09:11like Pedro Martinez.
09:12When he's pitching,
09:13everybody's on the TV,
09:14on the radio,
09:15whatever,
09:16waiting for it.
09:18Pedro calls it
09:19un toque de queda
09:20in town when he's pitching.
09:21Everybody is watching the game.
09:23The town stops
09:24in its activity.
09:29Pedro Martinez
09:30was born on October 25, 1971
09:33in Manoayabo,
09:35the small, impoverished
09:36suburb of Santo Domingo.
09:39Manoayabo could be
09:40a poster
09:41for how poor Dominicans are.
09:44Feral dogs run around
09:45the streets,
09:46kids run around
09:47in barely any clothes,
09:49freshly slaughtered chickens
09:50sitting in the sun
09:52waiting for someone
09:53to bring them home.
09:54It's a very poor,
09:55humbling experience
09:56to walk through there
09:57and that's exactly
09:58the circumstances
09:59that Pedro grew up in.
10:02No facilities whatsoever.
10:05Just actually surviving
10:07and making it through.
10:10My mom and my dad,
10:11they make a lot of money.
10:13They just make money
10:14enough to us
10:16to survive.
10:19In those days,
10:21we didn't have anything.
10:22We were extremely poor.
10:24Our house was a little house of wood,
10:26a house of humble people.
10:28We used to raise cow,
10:30you know,
10:30our grandmother
10:31and our grandfather
10:32and that's what they had.
10:34It was like a little farm.
10:36Our dad,
10:37he was a former player,
10:39a amateur player.
10:39My two uncles,
10:40they play baseball,
10:42so it was kind of like
10:43I was following my dad
10:44and my uncle
10:45being a baseball player.
10:47The game I learned
10:49was a tough game.
10:51The first thing
10:51they taught me
10:52when I was a little kid,
10:54do not fear the ball.
10:56Do not fear the ball.
10:57They didn't have any baseballs.
10:58He would rip the heads
11:00off his sister's dolls
11:02and they would use
11:03the plastic doll's heads.
11:07The doll was mine.
11:09Sometimes they took socks
11:10and pantyhose
11:11and they made a ball.
11:12They had to find something
11:13around to play with.
11:15But even the delight
11:16Martinez found in baseball
11:18could not ease the ache
11:19he felt
11:20when his parents divorced.
11:22I think when you talk
11:23about Pedro being sensitive now,
11:24you can't help but go back
11:25to his father leaving
11:27when he was young.
11:28He would go up in a tree
11:29right next to his house
11:30and that was kind of
11:32his corner of the world.
11:34It was really hard for me
11:35to see them split apart.
11:38I couldn't take a no
11:40for an answer
11:40because I was
11:41only eight years old.
11:43I was used to see
11:44them both together.
11:46It was really
11:47the most difficult part
11:48of my life.
11:50I used to call him Angel.
11:52Pedro was little
11:53but he was the smile
11:54of our home
11:55and he was a very loving
11:56and caring little boy.
11:58When I separated,
12:00Pedro and Ramon
12:01supported my decision
12:02and Pedro,
12:03who was number five,
12:04told me,
12:05Mom,
12:06we are going to keep
12:07moving forward
12:08and when I become
12:09a ball player,
12:10I will give you
12:11a good life.
12:12His older brother,
12:14Ramon,
12:14became Pedro's nurturer.
12:16At 16,
12:17Ramon pitched
12:18for the Dominican
12:18Olympic team
12:19in 1984
12:20and later that summer
12:21signed with the
12:22Los Angeles Dodgers.
12:24Ramon has been
12:25Pedro's ballast
12:26his entire life.
12:28Ramon is very wise,
12:30very reasoned,
12:32totally unemotional,
12:33unlike Pedro
12:34who is very emotional
12:35and Ramon has always
12:37had a great sense
12:38of his responsibility
12:41as the older brother.
12:43If I wanted to play baseball,
12:45which was like
12:45a big deal to me,
12:47I always wanted
12:48to be like my brother.
12:49He told me,
12:50well,
12:50you have to go to school,
12:51you have to learn.
12:53We were like
12:54the hope of the family
12:55and I was preparing Pedro,
12:57he became like
12:58my second plan
13:00in case that I fail.
13:03Everything that he's achieved,
13:05he got to thank Ramon
13:06because
13:06a teacher,
13:08sure,
13:08like Pedro,
13:09is a nut.
13:11Small.
13:12Little.
13:13But because he was
13:14Ramon's brother,
13:15they gave him
13:15a chance.
13:18We took into account
13:19that Pedro
13:19was Ramon's brother,
13:21still at the time
13:22of trying him out.
13:23If the boy
13:24didn't have any chance,
13:25it didn't matter
13:26if he was Ramon's brother.
13:29In 1988,
13:31Pedro was 16
13:32and at 5 feet 9
13:34weighed only 140 pounds.
13:36But he pitched
13:37far larger than his size
13:38and the Dodgers
13:39signed him for $6,500.
13:42After pitching
13:43two seasons
13:43in the Dominican Summer League,
13:44he was assigned
13:45to a rookie league franchise
13:47in far off
13:48Great Falls, Montana.
13:49There,
13:50he found a surrogate father
13:51in his pitching coach.
13:53My wife put in a program
13:54where we were going to
13:55teach him a word a day.
13:56He'd get the word
13:57at 8 o'clock in the morning
13:58at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
14:00He knew how to spell it.
14:01He knew how to use it.
14:02My white daddy,
14:03that's how I call him,
14:05I was very spoiled
14:06to have somebody
14:06that cared that much
14:07about me.
14:08And he actually was
14:09the one responsible
14:11to change the grip
14:12of my changeup.
14:13In 1990,
14:15Ramon Martinez
14:16became a 20-game winner
14:17for the Dodgers.
14:18For Pedro,
14:19his brother's success
14:20was both a source
14:21of pride and envy.
14:23Everybody's like,
14:24eh, nepotism.
14:25He's only on the team
14:26because of his brother,
14:27you know.
14:28We'll get him.
14:29I remember one night
14:30in Butte, Montana,
14:31when he gave up 12 runs
14:33in the first two innings.
14:34And he just broke down crying.
14:35He said,
14:36I'll never be like Ramon.
14:37I want to be like Ramon.
14:38I want to get the big legs.
14:41Martinez was cocky,
14:43temperamental,
14:44and unapologetic,
14:45none of which
14:46endeared him
14:46to teammates,
14:47coaches,
14:48and opponents.
14:50Pedro realized
14:51at a very young age
14:52that that plate
14:53belonged to him.
14:54The manager
14:55for the Brewers
14:55hollered at Pedro,
14:57Martinez,
14:57you're going to have
14:58a brawl
14:58every time you pitch.
15:00And Pedro said,
15:00that's okay.
15:01He said,
15:02your kid's throwing 85.
15:03I'm throwing 95.
15:05Pedro threw his first bullpen
15:07with me catching him.
15:08And, you know,
15:09after eight minutes,
15:10I'm getting ready
15:10to shift over
15:11to another side
15:12of the plate
15:12and he looks at me
15:13and says,
15:13he's done.
15:14And I'm thinking,
15:15we just got started.
15:16You can't learn yourself
15:18in eight-minute sessions.
15:20Players were very
15:21envious of Pedro.
15:23He would get a call
15:24at three o'clock
15:25in the morning
15:25and say,
15:26be in the lobby
15:27at 5.30.
15:28The van is picking you up.
15:30You're going to the airport.
15:31You've been called
15:31to the big leagues.
15:32He was down in that lobby
15:33because he thought
15:34he was really being called
15:36to the big leagues.
15:36They were just other players.
15:38The actual call-up
15:40would come eventually.
15:41But even though
15:42Martinez at 19
15:43was named
15:44the Sporting News
15:45Minor League Player
15:46of the Year
15:46in 1991,
15:48he would have difficulty
15:49finding a home
15:50with the Dodgers.
15:56Pedro Martinez
15:57was not on the Dodgers
15:58opening day roster.
16:00When you have
16:00the experienced
16:01pitching staff
16:02that we had,
16:03we just felt
16:04that he wasn't ready
16:05to be a starter
16:06and it was better
16:07for him to go down
16:08and pitch in the minor leagues
16:09and get more experience.
16:12The day before
16:13the Dodgers opened
16:14the season,
16:14Martinez received the news.
16:17It was like 30 minutes
16:18before the boss left
16:19to go to Miami.
16:20And then I had
16:21my little headphones on
16:22and I'm like,
16:24oh, I'm ready to go.
16:27Manny Monta,
16:27he called me that,
16:28you know,
16:29they're going to send
16:29Pedro down.
16:31So I said,
16:31well, Manny Pedro,
16:32I know that Pedro,
16:33he's going to be upset.
16:34Very, very upset.
16:37Pedro, in fact,
16:38called me
16:38in a very professional manner,
16:40said,
16:40I just want you to tell me
16:41that I'm not one
16:42of the 10 best pitchers.
16:43And I said,
16:44no, Pedro,
16:45I won't tell you that.
16:46What I will tell you
16:47is that we need
16:48to send you down
16:49as we start the season.
16:52I got off the bus.
16:53I said to Ramon,
16:54I'm leaving.
16:55I'm actually leaving.
16:56These people
16:56don't want me here.
16:58Then his older brother
17:00recounted how
17:00four years earlier
17:01he had experienced
17:02that very same feeling
17:04of being discarded.
17:06Ramon said to me,
17:08imagine
17:10that you're me
17:11when I pitched
17:12a nine shot out
17:13in Savannah.
17:14I got sent down
17:15half an hour later
17:17to the minor leagues.
17:18And all I had to do
17:19was just swallow that.
17:21You guys were waiting
17:22for me to send
17:23some money
17:23to help with the school,
17:25to help with your clothing,
17:27with your food.
17:29If you were me,
17:30would you have left?
17:33When he told me that,
17:34I had two big tears.
17:35He struck the hum.
17:36Boom, boom.
17:38I quickly went
17:39and found
17:40a brand new baseball
17:40and wrote on it
17:42a note to him
17:43and got it
17:43in the bottom
17:44of his bag
17:45so that when he opened it
17:46in Albuquerque
17:46it was going to be
17:47at the bottom of his bag
17:48and he would find it there.
17:49I wrote on it
17:50to Pedro
17:50from one big league
17:51or to another.
17:52You'll be here soon.
17:55Martinez's stay
17:56in the minors
17:57lasted less than a week
17:58as an injury
17:59created an opening
18:00on the Dodgers.
18:01He responded
18:02with a 10-5 record
18:03in 65 games,
18:04almost all
18:05in middle relief.
18:06But once again
18:07he heard the skeptics
18:08whispering,
18:09this time
18:09whether earlier surgery
18:11on his left shoulder
18:11by Dr. Frank Jobe
18:13would result
18:13in a lack of durability.
18:15I know that Frank Jobe
18:17was very concerned
18:18when he went in
18:20to do the left shoulder
18:22simply about body structure
18:24and is this something
18:24that could impact Pedro
18:27and his right shoulder.
18:28There was a question
18:29of that by some people
18:31whether his body
18:32would stand up
18:33to the stress
18:34and stamina
18:34of being a starter.
18:36The power
18:37that he generated
18:38with that delivery
18:39and the velocity
18:41that he threw
18:41it looked like
18:42it would be a breakdown.
18:43I think I probably
18:44made a big mistake
18:45with Pedro
18:46and I was asked
18:47by the general manager
18:49would you trade
18:50this player
18:51or this player
18:52that's just come off
18:53of surgery
18:53and the obvious answer
18:55is I'd trade the one
18:56that just came off
18:56of surgery.
18:57The Dodgers
18:58not only had their doubts
18:59about Martinez
19:00they wanted to acquire
19:01second baseman
19:02Delano De Shields
19:03from Montreal.
19:04The one-for-one deal
19:06was another pride piercer
19:07for Martinez
19:08further fuel
19:09for his
19:10I'll show them
19:10attitude.
19:11I can recall
19:12calling him
19:14in the Dominican Republic
19:15he was clearly
19:16disappointed
19:17his dream
19:17was to play
19:18for the Dodgers.
19:20This is a guy
19:20who grew up
19:21really idolizing
19:22the Dodgers
19:22because of his
19:23big brother Ramon.
19:24He was heartbroken
19:25when the Dodgers
19:26traded him
19:26and I think
19:27he's carried that
19:27as a motivating factor
19:28that's still a chip
19:29on his shoulder.
19:30Think about
19:31Pedro Martinez
19:32I think like
19:33if he was one
19:34of my own children.
19:36Was Felipe
19:36a lose belief
19:37that he could start
19:39that the man inside
19:41was stronger
19:42than the body
19:43itself.
19:45Pedro Martinez
19:46was 22 in 1994
19:48and still trying
19:49to find himself
19:50all the while
19:51scattering hitters
19:52like flushed quail.
19:54He led the National League
19:55and hit batters
19:56with 11.
19:57He wanted to pitch in
19:58he wanted to get
19:59command of the fastball in
20:00and as a result of that
20:02he hit a bunch of guys.
20:04The great debate
20:05in Pedro's first year
20:06was was he intentionally
20:07trying to hit guys.
20:08You know he threw
20:09the ball hard
20:09and he was trying
20:10to establish inside
20:11and we understood
20:12that as teammates
20:13but I don't think
20:14our opponents did.
20:15I think he intimidated
20:16a lot of guys
20:17because he did pitch in.
20:18He was a guy
20:18that was throwing
20:19a 94 mile an hour
20:20fastball at a time
20:22where there wasn't
20:23that many guys
20:24throwing that hard.
20:26In only his second
20:27expo start
20:28Martinez was perfect
20:29for 7 plus innings
20:31but earlier in the game
20:33he had thrown a pitch
20:34with combustible
20:35consequences.
20:38He come in
20:39close to my head
20:40the first pitch
20:41and we exchanged
20:43words
20:43and then the next
20:45at bat
20:45he ended up hitting me.
20:47And now
20:48here we go
20:50Reggie Sanders
20:51goes after
20:52Pedro Martinez
20:53So people was like
20:55oh my god
20:55how is he going
20:56to charge the mound
20:57he's throwing
20:57a perfect game
20:58and what have you
21:00and I was like
21:00well people just
21:01didn't understand
21:02how everything
21:03transpired up
21:04until that point.
21:05Martinez wasn't
21:07ejected
21:07but lost his
21:08no-hitter
21:08in the ninth inning.
21:10Two and a half
21:10weeks later
21:11he faced the
21:12Padres' Derek Bell
21:13with the same
21:14bench emptying
21:15results.
21:31Bell with the same
21:34bench emptying
21:35results.
21:46Mark Davis
21:46started yelling
21:47You can get them
21:48all out
21:49but you still
21:49want to let
21:50a no-hitter.
21:53At Pedro
21:54outside the
21:55first baseline
21:55and he was
21:56pointing a finger
21:57at Pedro
21:58and yelling
21:58at Pedro.
21:59Knowing the ability
22:00and knowing
22:00how good he was
22:01we thought
22:02if you throw in
22:02on guys
22:03you know
22:03come in there
22:03but not at the head.
22:05After each fight
22:06it would make him
22:07tougher
22:07it'd make his
22:08resolve stronger
22:08at times
22:09he probably felt
22:10like it was
22:11they're picking
22:11on me
22:12and it's me
22:13against the world.
22:15The expo
22:16searched for ways
22:17to rein in
22:18Martinez's wildness
22:19at least once
22:20with humorous
22:21results.
22:22I know one of the
22:23things that Joe
22:24Kerrigan did
22:24he went out
22:25to a department
22:26store and he
22:26talked them into
22:28donating an old
22:29mannequin.
22:30We put the
22:30plastic dummy
22:31right on top
22:31of the plate
22:32and get his eye
22:33trained to
22:34throwing inside.
22:35All of a sudden
22:35I heard this
22:36pow and I
22:37looked down
22:37and the mannequin's
22:39head was gone
22:40and there were
22:40pieces of plastic
22:41and debris
22:42all over the place.
22:43Pretty soon
22:43the mannequin
22:44had tape up
22:45here, duct tape
22:46down here.
22:47It was being
22:47held together
22:48by tape
22:49and bailing wire.
22:50We then decided
22:51that maybe he
22:51should use the
22:52four seam grip
22:53inside to
22:54right-handers.
22:55If he missed
22:55wide at least
22:56it wouldn't keep
22:57going in like a
22:58heat-sicking
22:58missile towards
22:59the batter
23:00and I think
23:00that was a big
23:01part of his
23:01development.
23:03In June of 1995
23:05in San Diego
23:06Martinez had
23:07everything harnessed.
23:09A guy yelled
23:10at me and he goes
23:11Pedro you're not
23:12getting the perfect
23:13game.
23:13Oh you're not
23:14going to get
23:14even a no-hitter.
23:16I look back
23:17and I'm like
23:18oh it's actually
23:20perfect.
23:21Nobody has
23:21gotten none.
23:22Struck him out.
23:23Pedro Martinez
23:24is perfect
23:26through nine
23:27innings and
23:28there's no
23:29score in the
23:30game.
23:31Felipe sent
23:32him out there
23:32in the tenth
23:33zero to zero
23:34and Bip Roberts
23:35ended up getting
23:35a first pitch
23:38first batter
23:38double and that
23:39was it.
23:40He was out of
23:40the game.
23:41Kerrigan after
23:42that stop
23:43walked down the
23:44right field line
23:44and put his arm
23:45around Pedro
23:46and said I don't
23:47care where this
23:48goes in the
23:48record book.
23:49Don't you ever
23:50forget that you
23:50just faced 27
23:51guys and retired
23:5327 in a row.
23:54All the knocks
23:55about Senor
23:56Plunk, about
23:56Pedro the
23:57headhunter, about
23:57being too small
23:59to ever be a
24:00starting pitcher,
24:00about not having
24:01the stamina, that
24:02was all washed
24:03aside.
24:04Two seasons
24:05later Martinez
24:06went 17-8 with
24:07a 1.90 ERA
24:09and won the
24:101997 National
24:11League Cy Young
24:12Award.
24:13But he was a
24:13jewel the
24:14financially strapped
24:15Expos could no
24:16longer afford.
24:17He was shipped
24:18to Boston for
24:19Carbano and
24:20Tony Armas Jr.
24:22The Red Sox
24:22Nation felt they
24:23had just won
24:24the lottery.
24:26They did.
24:28That he was
24:29going to do
24:29something.
24:30He was the
24:31star of the
24:31city from
24:3298 to 2000.
24:34There's no
24:35doubt.
24:35My house is a
24:36mile and a half
24:37away from Fenway
24:38and there are
24:39nights if the
24:39wind is blowing
24:40from the east
24:40and Pedro takes
24:41the mound,
24:41you can hear
24:42the Pedro,
24:43Pedro out on
24:44my back deck.
24:45Spanish started
24:46to be a language
24:47which was spoken
24:48out in Fenway
24:48Park.
24:49After each
24:50strikeout beyond
24:51the third,
24:53we count off
24:54his punchados,
24:55the Spanish.
24:56History's not so
24:57great at Fenway
24:58regarding anyone
24:59who's not white
25:00Irish Catholic,
25:00so it was nice
25:01to see a little
25:02bit of a diversity
25:03brought into the
25:03ballpark and a
25:04different flavor.
25:05Once arriving in
25:07Boston, Pedro
25:08Martinez signed a
25:09contract that would
25:09pay him $91 million
25:11for seven years.
25:13He set about making
25:14an immediate return
25:15on the Red Sox
25:16investment by going
25:1719-7 with 251
25:19strikeouts.
25:20But his 1999
25:21performance would be
25:23even more breathtaking.
25:24Strike three!
25:2717 strikeouts for
25:28Pedro Martinez.
25:3122 Yankees in a row
25:33go down.
25:34He has the best
25:35fastball slider.
25:36Change up in the game
25:37and slider's like a
25:38hard curveball.
25:39He can throw any
25:40pitch at any count
25:41and he can throw
25:43for a strike.
25:44He's one of those
25:44guys that just has
25:45the natural ability
25:46to just throw the
25:47ball the same way
25:49every time.
25:49Ball comes out of
25:50his hand and you
25:51never know what's
25:51coming.
25:52He's got unbelievable
25:53torque on his
25:54breaking pitches,
25:55which, you know,
25:57most pitchers don't
25:58have.
25:59Bugs Bunny, you
26:00know, it's cartoon
26:01character-like.
26:02This thing moves
26:03all over the place.
26:04You're not, if he
26:05throws a good one,
26:06you're not going to
26:07hit it, so don't
26:08try.
26:09He doesn't have to
26:10throw the ball hard.
26:10He has such long
26:12This from a guy
26:13with over 600
26:14home runs, naturally.
26:19Fingers, and it
26:20means that that
26:21ball stays on your
26:22hand a long time
26:23and on your fingers,
26:24increasing the spin
26:25and giving you
26:26late movement.
26:26I'll never forget
26:27him showing me
26:28the very tips of
26:29his fingers, where
26:30it's worn down,
26:31almost calloused.
26:33That's the last
26:34part of his body
26:34that touches the
26:35ball as it leaves
26:36his hand.
26:36Sometimes when
26:37he's striking out
26:38people, and next
26:38thing you know,
26:39you know, a guy
26:39with a ground ball
26:40and you're like,
26:41oh, he didn't
26:41strike him out,
26:42and I'm like,
26:42I better go get
26:43that ground ball.
26:46There's no doubt
26:47in my mind,
26:48he is probably
26:50borderline genius
26:52at looking at a
26:54hitter during the
26:56course of a ball
26:57game.
26:57He just has the
26:58ability to pick
26:59hitters apart.
27:02By midsummer,
27:03Martinez was 15-3
27:04and was the
27:05American League
27:05starter in the
27:06All-Star game
27:07in Fenway.
27:21He finished 23-4,
27:23became the first
27:24Red Sox pitcher
27:25since Cy Young
27:26in 1901 to lead
27:27the league in wins,
27:29ERA, and strikeouts.
27:30But before the
27:31fifth inning in game
27:32one of the division
27:33series in Cleveland,
27:34the Boston ace was
27:35gone, complaining of
27:37shoulder and back
27:38tightness.
27:38The series went to a
27:40fifth and deciding
27:41game, and still no
27:42Martinez.
27:44With the slugfest tied
27:45at eight through three
27:46and a half innings,
27:47Boston's bullpen door
27:49opened, and an epic
27:50effort followed.
27:51Our team doctor said,
27:52listen, he could
27:53probably give you
27:54one inning.
27:55Probably 40 pitches
27:56tops.
27:57Tops.
27:58I remember the
27:59clock stopped when
27:59he came out of the
28:00bullpen.
28:01It's just one of
28:01those things.
28:02Time literally stood
28:03still at Jacob's
28:05field.
28:05Guys were walking
28:06to the bat rack.
28:07They stopped and
28:08looked up to see him
28:10walking in.
28:10Like, what are they
28:11doing?
28:11Where is he coming
28:12from?
28:13He can't pitch.
28:15Me bouncing balls
28:16and warm-ups.
28:16I was like, oh,
28:18no.
28:19We're in trouble.
28:20Before, I knew I
28:21had a 97, 98
28:23mile.
28:24This time, I was
28:25like, well, he's
28:27probably expecting
28:28me to throw a
28:29fastball here because
28:29he knows me.
28:31Let me flip the
28:31chain.
28:32The pitch to
28:32Alomar.
28:33Quitting and a
28:34miss.
28:34He struck him out
28:35of the breaking
28:35ball.
28:36He just came in
28:37and he wasn't
28:39throwing as hard
28:39as he could, but
28:41he was throwing
28:42everything in
28:42location.
28:43The 0-2 pitch.
28:45Quitting and a
28:45miss.
28:46Strike three.
28:47The Red Sox
28:48have won it.
28:48They tied
28:49the mound
28:50and Pedro
28:50Martinez, the
28:51best pitcher in
28:52baseball, has
28:53pitched six
28:54no-hit innings
28:55and released
28:55coming off an
28:56injury.
28:57For him, with
28:59nothing more
28:59than 87-mile-an-hour
29:01fastballs and
29:02just pure will,
29:04to no-hit the
29:05Indians over six
29:06innings is one of
29:07the most remarkable
29:08things I think
29:09any of us will
29:10ever see.
29:12Martinez got
29:13Boston's only win
29:14against the
29:15Yankees in the
29:15ALCS, beating
29:16Roger Clemens.
29:17He then became
29:19one of three
29:19pitchers to earn
29:20a Cy Young
29:21award in each
29:21league, and
29:23tacked on another
29:23Cy Young season
29:24in 2000, going
29:2618-6 with a
29:271.74 ERA.
29:29In a historical
29:30context, you
29:31could take those
29:32two seasons and
29:33make a case at
29:34least for those
29:35being the best
29:36back-to-back
29:36seasons of any
29:37pitcher in the
29:38history of the
29:39game, mainly
29:40because we are
29:41in one of the
29:42great offensive
29:42eras in the
29:43history of
29:47baseball.
29:49Hector, who
29:50is hard-scrabble
29:51hometown of
29:52Mano Wayabo.
29:54Pedro is a big
29:55idol here in this
29:55country because
29:56what he do off
29:58baseball, off the
29:59field, and he's
30:01neighborhood, people
30:03love him.
30:04They ask him, you
30:04know, we don't
30:05have a church
30:06around here, and
30:07can you please
30:08help us with it?
30:09And he just did
30:10it when they
30:10signed him in
30:1198.
30:11I think it's
30:12amazing when
30:13asked, why
30:14would you build
30:15a school, would
30:16answer, as he
30:17did to me, well,
30:18I can afford it.
30:20Taxpayers can't
30:21afford it.
30:21They can't afford
30:21it here.
30:22You see these
30:22kids playing
30:23baseball, and
30:23they have very
30:24nice turf shoes,
30:25they have very
30:26nice batting
30:26gloves, they
30:27have very nice
30:27fielding gloves,
30:28and those are
30:29from Pedro.
30:29It's like my
30:30gift, to be
30:31able to give
30:32back and somehow
30:34make it easier
30:35for all the
30:36people is my
30:37reward for
30:38everything I
30:39go through.
30:41Making it
30:42easier for
30:42Martinez was
30:43being reunited
30:44with his
30:44brother in
30:451999 with
30:46the Red Sox.
30:47Although Ramon
30:48was plagued by
30:48injury, he
30:49more than
30:50earned his
30:50keep as
30:51Pedro's
30:52confidant.
30:53The bond
30:54of affection
30:54between those
30:55two brothers
30:56was so palpable
30:57in that clubhouse.
30:58In those rare
30:58times when
30:59Pedro struggled,
31:00he oftentimes
31:01turned to
31:01Ramon for
31:02advice and
31:03counsel, rather
31:04than, say,
31:05the pitching
31:05coach.
31:07Ramon was
31:08out of
31:08baseball by
31:092001.
31:10His career
31:11ended by
31:11persistent
31:12shoulder
31:12problems.
31:13It was a
31:14condition that
31:14would haunt
31:15Pedro.
31:16It's almost
31:17like God
31:18took the
31:18motor of a
31:19Lamborghini and
31:20put it in a
31:21Pinto because
31:22his body, his
31:23frame is so
31:23small.
31:24You always
31:24wonder, well,
31:25how long can
31:25this motor
31:26work?
31:27I think
31:27every time
31:28that Pedro
31:28walks out to
31:29the mound,
31:30he's got a
31:30mental picture
31:31of his brother
31:32Ramon in his
31:33head.
31:33Ramon's career
31:34ended, Ramon
31:35disappeared.
31:36And I don't
31:36think Pedro
31:37wants to go
31:37out the way
31:38that Ramon
31:38went out.
31:39Martinez was
31:40on the
31:40disabled list
31:41for two
31:41months in
31:422001.
31:43Even after
31:44returning, his
31:44shoulder still
31:45throbbed.
31:46Although the
31:47Red Sox were
31:47all but
31:48mathematically
31:48eliminated,
31:49they started
31:50him three
31:50more times,
31:51the last on
31:52September 7th
31:53at Yankee
31:53Stadium.
31:54What Ramon
31:55did to hurt
31:56himself, I
31:57was about to
31:58pitch through
31:59it.
32:00Pitch at
32:0170% like
32:02Joe Kerrigan
32:04suggested at
32:04one point.
32:05We were
32:05going through
32:06the sale of
32:06the team.
32:07What we
32:07tried to
32:08do with
32:08that situation
32:10was not
32:11paint a
32:11bad picture
32:12that the
32:13franchise player
32:14was hurt.
32:15The people
32:15in uniform
32:16were caught
32:17in the middle
32:17between doing
32:19what was right
32:20for the
32:20franchise and
32:21doing what
32:21was right
32:22for the
32:22kid.
32:23We weren't
32:24going to put
32:24a pitcher at
32:25risk because
32:27the club was
32:27for sale.
32:28He's the
32:28one that knows
32:29himself better
32:29than anybody
32:30else.
32:30He's a
32:31professional
32:32pitcher.
32:32He knows
32:33his body.
32:34That's not
32:34a decision
32:34that the
32:35club was
32:36going to
32:36make for
32:36him.
32:37The love
32:37affair between
32:38the Red Sox
32:39and Pedro
32:39sort of ended
32:40there.
32:41I think
32:41Pedro looked
32:43at it as
32:44if, you
32:44know what,
32:45don't march
32:46me out
32:46there hurt.
32:47Even
32:48though the
32:48Pedro Martinez
32:49of 2002
32:50was newly
32:51muscled, he
32:52learned to
32:52get by on
32:53guile and
32:54deception.
32:55He's gotten
32:56smarter because
32:57he's gotten
32:57older.
32:58Now he mixes
32:58up, now he
32:58cuts his
32:59fastball, now
32:59he sinks, he
33:00takes a little
33:01off it.
33:01The older he
33:02gets, the
33:02better kids.
33:03He's still
33:04living through
33:04a generation
33:05of hitters
33:06that has
33:06faced the
33:07very healthy
33:07Pedro and
33:08the very
33:09dominant
33:09Pedro and
33:10I think
33:10there are
33:11times that
33:11he gets
33:12people out
33:12on reputation.
33:13Before it
33:14was just
33:15fearless
33:16competition and
33:17go out
33:18there, leave
33:18it out there.
33:19Doesn't matter
33:20how sore I'm
33:20going to be
33:21tomorrow, I'm
33:22going to get
33:23you.
33:24Now I'm
33:24going to get
33:25you in a
33:26smart way and
33:28I'm going to
33:28be ready for
33:29the next one
33:29to get you
33:30again.
33:31Right when
33:31you get to
33:31100 pitches,
33:32you start to
33:32watch him, you
33:33don't want
33:33him to put
33:34undue stress
33:35on his
33:35shoulder, especially
33:36if it's not a
33:37very meaningful
33:37situation.
33:38In the
33:39clubhouse there
33:40were different
33:40opinions whether
33:41the preferential
33:42treatment accorded
33:43Martinez was
33:44divisive.
33:45He's great, he's
33:47special and he
33:48knows it.
33:49He's special and
33:50at times he wants
33:51to be treated as
33:52such and that can
33:53grate on people.
33:54Pedro had this
33:55habit of showing
33:56up quite close to
33:58starting time and
33:59after being warned
34:00by Jimmy Williams
34:01on a number of
34:01occasions, Pedro
34:02pushed it too far
34:03one Saturday
34:04afternoon and
34:05arrived to find
34:06out that Jimmy had
34:07taken the ball away
34:08from him and was
34:09going to have
34:09Bryce Flory start
34:10this game against
34:11the Seattle
34:11Mariners.
34:12There wasn't one
34:13player in the
34:14clubhouse that day
34:15who said, boy,
34:16you know what,
34:16Jimmy really went
34:17out to win this
34:17time, Jimmy really
34:18overdid it, boy,
34:19Pedro got screwed.
34:20It embarrassed him
34:21and he felt not
34:22respected.
34:23Big thing for
34:24Pedro, the big
34:24word is respect.
34:25That was the
34:26ultimate diss in
34:27his view.
34:28Pedro really has
34:29the star complex.
34:30If I'm a teammate,
34:31I don't like some
34:31of the special
34:32treatment.
34:32Maybe they don't
34:33mind.
34:33I think some of
34:34them do.
34:34Some of them
34:35have told me
34:35they do.
34:36Pedro's Pedro.
34:38He's a superstar.
34:39He deserves the
34:40respect of being a
34:41superstar, but he
34:43respects the rest of
34:43his teammates too.
34:45I don't think he
34:45gives special
34:46treatment.
34:47I think he has
34:48his program that he
34:49likes to follow.
34:50It works for him
34:51and you have to
34:52respect that.
34:53Clearly, there
34:54were times when
34:56other pitchers on
34:57the staff went to
34:58management and
34:59said, hey, you
35:00know, shouldn't
35:01this guy be out
35:02running with the
35:02rest of us?
35:03Wouldn't it be nice
35:04if he showed up
35:04on time?
35:09We just want
35:10Petey healthy and
35:11on the field every
35:12fifth day.
35:12As far as all this
35:13other stuff that
35:13people say, he'll
35:14be jealousy coming
35:15out of people's
35:16mouth saying he
35:17gets this, he
35:17gets that.
35:18He's on the field
35:19supporting his
35:19ball club.
35:20He's doing what
35:20he needs to do
35:21as a pitcher and
35:22that's all he can
35:23ask for.
35:24I think he views
35:25himself as a guy
35:26who has expended
35:27every ounce of
35:28energy on behalf of
35:29this team and on
35:31behalf of this town
35:31and its fans.
35:32And he takes it
35:34very personally when
35:35he gets some slings
35:37and arrows in
35:37return.
35:38Pedro sees
35:39boogeymen.
35:40I mean, he sees
35:40there are ghosts
35:41behind every corner
35:43that are out to get
35:43him.
35:44He does that to
35:44motivate himself.
35:45But the fact is
35:46that he has been
35:47beloved.
35:49Martinez had always
35:50led a secretive
35:51life.
35:51But it was not
35:52until 2003 that
35:54people realized just
35:55how much they
35:56didn't know about
35:57him, including the
35:58revelation that he
35:59was engaged and
36:00also had a family.
36:01He begins to tell
36:02me about his
36:03children and he
36:03specifically said he
36:05had two kids.
36:05He wants one to go
36:06to Boston College and
36:07one to go to
36:08Harvard.
36:08Harvard and I
36:10didn't even know
36:10he had two kids.
36:12He shared the
36:13responsibility of
36:14the family to all
36:15of us.
36:16I have a son who
36:17is the first nephew
36:18of theirs and they
36:19treat him as though
36:20he were their own.
36:21He is very affectionate
36:22with his children.
36:23He worries a lot
36:24about them and he's
36:25a very good father.
36:28He doesn't want
36:28people knowing
36:29where he lives.
36:30I think there's a
36:31little fear.
36:32He had an incident
36:32when a whole bunch
36:33of people jumped
36:34on his car and he
36:35had a tremendous
36:35rush of claustrophobia.
36:37He told me that
36:39when he leaves Fenway
36:40Park at night he
36:41now makes it a point
36:42not to drive his
36:43own car because he's
36:45fearful that at the
36:46end of an autograph
36:46session he'll pull
36:47forward and drive
36:48over somebody's foot
36:49and get sued for it.
36:50He has a very close
36:51circle of friends and
36:52it's really not friends
36:53it's family members.
36:54It's his cousins,
36:55it's his sisters who
36:56come down during the
36:57season to cook and
36:58clean after him.
36:59Pedro shops and has
37:01gone to the same
37:01Jamaica Plain of
37:02Boston which is highly
37:03populated by Dominicans.
37:05He buys his music
37:05there, he gets his
37:06haircut there, he sends
37:08his sisters to buy
37:09food there.
37:10Someone saw him in
37:10Jamaica Plain, he gets
37:11back to the clubhouse
37:12the next day.
37:13Oh you were in
37:14Jamaica Plain, you
37:14had this to eat?
37:15And he's thinking
37:16how do you know that?
37:17He didn't enjoy this
37:18kind of intrusion into
37:20his personal life and
37:21he felt like people
37:22should be able to
37:22turn it off.
37:24He could be at the
37:25bar, he could be in
37:26the club doing
37:27something, something,
37:30being at a party,
37:33going in a hotel,
37:35sleeping with someone
37:36who's not his wife
37:37and we're being
37:38elusive about him
37:39going to a shop
37:41down the street?
37:42It's ridiculous.
37:45At some point,
37:47the only thing I hate
37:49about my career
37:49right now is the
37:52fame.
37:53I don't want my
37:54child to go through
37:56whatever I have to
37:57go through.
37:58I want to be private
38:00and I hope I keep
38:01it that way.
38:04The 2003 ALCS
38:07against the Yankees.
38:10Brady Little never
38:11had the chance to
38:12give him that extra
38:13rest down the stretch
38:14and I just think the
38:15tank went dry.
38:16I was pushed to the
38:17limit and all those
38:19pitches, all that
38:20traveling really
38:22affect me a lot.
38:24Bottom of the seven,
38:25Red Sox four,
38:26Yankees two, game
38:27seven.
38:28Here comes the pitch
38:29from Pedro to
38:30Soriano.
38:32Swung out and
38:33missed right three.
38:35We had seen that
38:36so many times.
38:37He comes off the
38:37mound, he points to
38:38the sky, hugging guys
38:39in the dugout.
38:41I mean, it seemed
38:41pretty clear that he
38:42was coming out of
38:43that game.
38:44I was actually told
38:46I wasn't going to
38:47go back out.
38:48Dave Wallace said,
38:49I think you're done.
38:50Brady came up and
38:51said, can you start
38:52the eight?
38:53I said, okay,
38:54just have the guys
38:56ready in case I
38:57stumble a little bit.
38:58Pedro Martinez has
39:00thrown 100 pitches.
39:01He's back out there
39:02for the eighth inning
39:03with a 5-2 lead.
39:05When you look into
39:06his eyes and you see
39:07it, you want to give
39:08him that ball.
39:09There's no question
39:10you wanted him out
39:11there in that inning.
39:12Just five ounces
39:13away from reaching the
39:14World Series,
39:15Martinez faced
39:16Derek Jeter.
39:18Nobody was panicking
39:19on the bench and
39:20we'd always talked
39:21about it.
39:21Just wait for the
39:22ghost.
39:22Just wait for the
39:23ghost to come out.
39:23Things are going to
39:24turn around.
39:26Whines and here it
39:27is.
39:27Swing and a fly ball
39:28right field.
39:29Deep back goes
39:30Nixon still going
39:31back.
39:31Reaches up.
39:32It's over his head.
39:32It hops off the
39:33fence.
39:34Jeter to second
39:35base.
39:35Hangs in there
39:36with a double.
39:37We were up that
39:38whole time.
39:39But it was like,
39:40okay, we're going
39:41in here.
39:42Okay, we're going
39:43in here.
39:43But I didn't
39:44question it because
39:45it was Pedro in the
39:46minute.
39:47He fires.
39:48Swing and a line
39:49drive.
39:49Center field.
39:50And Damon has to
39:51play it on a hop.
39:52Here comes Jeter
39:53to score.
39:53It's 5-3 Boston.
39:56Here comes Grady
39:57Little jogging out
39:59to the mound.
40:00You see Grady go
40:01to the mound and
40:01you think, you've got
40:03to take him out.
40:04Take him out.
40:05Grady, take him
40:06out.
40:07The bullpen has
40:08been so good lately
40:10at the summer.
40:12Surprised that
40:12Pedro's still in the
40:13game.
40:14The bullpen in
40:15postseason has an
40:15ARA of 1-0-1.
40:17End of discussion
40:18was one thing
40:19and one thing
40:19only, to give
40:20Pedro a breather.
40:22Give him a little
40:23second, catch his
40:23breath, and to
40:25go on from there.
40:28Grady Little
40:29comes out,
40:30says something to
40:31Pedro,
40:32pats him on the
40:32backside,
40:33and returns to the
40:34third-base dugout.
40:37When Grady came up,
40:38the simple question
40:39was whether I could
40:40pitch to Matsuri or
40:41not.
40:42And I said,
40:43clearly, yes.
40:44That I was lucky?
40:45Yes, they knew it.
40:47But Grady felt we had
40:48a better chance with
40:49me.
41:00Next up was Jorge
41:01Posada, whose
41:02batting average
41:03against Martinez was
41:04a slim 189.
41:06And because of the
41:07history that he's got
41:08against me, you know,
41:10getting me out, that
41:11left him in.
41:12It'll be a 2-2.
41:14Swung on and looked
41:15to shallow center
41:16field.
41:16It is a big
41:17down.
41:33I think Pedro was
41:34done in by pride in
41:35Game 7.
41:36I think that he
41:38knows his body and
41:39his arm better than
41:40anybody.
41:40It's a mature
41:42understanding of how
41:42much gas is left in
41:43the tank.
41:44This is stunning.
41:46Pedro looks skyward
41:48and makes a big
41:50grab as he departs
41:51every coming on.
41:52I got to tell you,
41:53I was surprised he came
41:54out for the eighth
41:55inning.
41:57I felt like I could get
41:59everybody out still.
42:01But it didn't work.
42:02It just didn't work.
42:04But I'm proud of it.
42:05I mean, I'm not going to
42:06say I'm sorry because I
42:08lost the game or I lost
42:09the lead.
42:10I did whatever possible
42:12to win.
42:13There's Boone.
42:14He swings.
42:15A long, high drive.
42:16Aaron Blue.
42:16Down to the field line.
42:18It's over.
42:21But that was off Wakefield.
42:24There's no reason to blame
42:26Grady.
42:26Grady doesn't play the
42:27game.
42:27We did.
42:28I did.
42:29If anybody wants to look
42:30at somebody and point a
42:31finger, they can point it
42:32at me.
42:32He defended Grady after
42:34Game 7, saying it's not
42:36the manager's fault.
42:37He didn't throw the
42:38pitch.
42:38I threw the pitch.
42:39And yet, when we went
42:40down to the Dominican
42:41Republic over the
42:42winner, his tune changed
42:44a little bit.
42:45And he started saying,
42:46hey, I'm not the
42:47manager.
42:47I don't make that
42:48decision.
42:49I know that it turned
42:49off a lot of people.
42:51I don't think that I can
42:52recall where a manager's
42:54decision to leave a star
42:56pitcher in a game reverberated
42:58so loud or so long.
43:00Terry Francona is sitting
43:01in that manager's office,
43:02and the reason he is is
43:03because of that moment.
43:04Grady was not fired because
43:06of one decision.
43:07Technically, his contract
43:08was not extended.
43:09Certainly, that was a
43:10factor that influenced the
43:12debate, to be sure.
43:15During the 2004 season,
43:17Martinez again had mixed
43:19success against the
43:20Yankees.
43:20As the divisional race
43:21heated up in September,
43:23the hot-tempered Latino
43:24dropped his guard after
43:26blowing a lead in Boston.
43:28I mean, what can I say?
43:29Just tip my heart and call
43:32the Yankees my daddies.
43:34Why would he ever say that?
43:39When Martinez continued to
43:41struggle against his
43:42nemesis in the ALCS, his
43:44teammates rallied from three
43:45games down to make history
43:47and win the series.
43:49Yes, sir.
43:52Reverting to form, Martinez
43:54painted a masterpiece in
43:55game three of Boston's
43:57sweep of the Cardinals.
43:58Although he had been a major
44:00factor in dispelling the curse
44:01of the Bambino, the 33-year-
44:03old free agent-to-be had
44:05pitched his last game for
44:06the Red Sox.
44:08Shea, it ain't so.
44:09For Pete's sake, it's
44:10SportsCenter.
44:11John Butchergras, where's
44:12Steve leave?
44:12Well, late Monday night,
44:13Red Sox president Larry
44:14Lucchino said of Pedro
44:15Martinez, he will be missed
44:17and we are disappointed to
44:18have lost him to the Mets
44:19and the National League.
44:22Boston wouldn't pull the
44:23trigger.
44:23Do I have to sit and wait
44:24for anybody else to decide
44:26what my future is going to
44:27be?
44:29Would you show me, you
44:32know, a lot of respect, a
44:34lot of commitment?
44:35We needed a player that
44:38would give us a brand
44:40identification, not only
44:42throughout Major League
44:44Baseball, but also in areas
44:46like America.
44:47People are going to wonder
44:48whether he's transitioning
44:50now to the back half of his
44:51career.
44:52What is he at this point?
44:54How long can he continue to
44:55hold his stuff?
44:56I know it's not going to be
44:57probably 40.
44:59Probably before then, I'll
45:01probably go.
45:02I don't know.
45:03I have to wait for my body
45:04to talk.
45:05It feels great and I still
45:08feel like I have bullets.
45:11There's a certain poignancy
45:13to watching Pedro pitch
45:14because you never know which
45:16pitch is going to be the last
45:17one.
45:18Right now, that's the big
45:20question with Pedro.
45:21How many more pitches does he
45:22have left?
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