This Is the Sort of Analysis by 538 I Can Get Behind

Pedro Martinez's peak was *way* higher than any other pitcher. https://t.co/BHCtjDPl7D http://pic.twitter.com/ERlg335Wvb

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) May 12, 2016

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Father's Day Is Coming And He Takes Commissions ...

Baseball Paintings — Pete Sack Art

Something like a 2000 Pedro Martinez Topps #60 would make a great subject. Just sayin'.

45 Pedro Numbers

Pedro Martinez's Otherworldy Greatness Explained In 45 Cool Numbers | NESN

Pedro, Jim Ed, Pudge, & Yaz with their retired numbers in background.
Credit: Jim Davis / Boston Globe 

I don't normally post such an extensive quote (though I trimmed a few numbers) from a linked article, but NESN's website is such a hot mess of video, content blocking ads, & noise, I can't recommend you crash your browser with it in good conscience. So, thanks for the post NESN, your content rocks. Much love. Respect. Maybe though, and this is the guy with the blog full of GIFs and gadgets in the sidebar talking, tone it down a little on the web media.

16: Pedro’s age when he signed his first contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988.
20: Pedro’s age when he made his major league debut.
41.9: The percentage of starts Pedro completed (13 of 31) in 1997.
37.5: The percentage of batters Pedro struck out in 1999, tops among pitchers with at least 100 innings pitched. Randy Johnson ranked second at 33.7 percent. Tim Hudson ranked third at 22.8 percent.
82.8: The percentage of Pedro’s starts the Red Sox won (24 of 29) in 1999.
79.3: The percentage of starts (46 of 58) between 1999 and 2000 in which he allowed two earned runs or fewer.
2: The number of MVP ballots Pedro was left off entirely in 1999, paving the way for Ivan Rodriguez’s robbery.
5: The number of times Pedro led the majors in ERA, more than any other pitcher in MLB history. He won the MLB ERA crown in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003.
2.74: Pedro’s ERA in 96 career games (95 starts) at Fenway.
7: The number of times Pedro finished in the top four in Cy Young voting. As mentioned, it includes three first-place finishes (1997, 1999, 2000).
3.35: The difference between Pedro’s ERA (1.74) and the average ERA for an American League starter (5.09) in 2000. 1968: The last time an AL starter posted an ERA better than Pedro’s 1.74 mark in 2000. It was none other than Luis Tiant, who led the AL with a 1.60 ERA.
0.74: Pedro’s WHIP in 2000, the best single-season mark in MLB history.
756.53: Pedro’s peak performance score on June 6, 2000, according to Bill James’ Pitcher Wave Patterns. It made Pedro the highest-rated pitcher of all time.
190: Pedro’s ERA+ with the Red Sox, meaning his ERA was 90 percent better than league average. [I don't know what this number represents, but it is Bill James' and it rates Pedro the highest of all time, so ...]
46: The number of starts with the Red Sox in which Pedro allowed three hits or fewer. 
26.3: The percentage of starts with the Red Sox in which Pedro allowed zero earned runs (53 of 201). 
3.59: The difference between Pedro’s strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.45) and the league average strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.86) during his time with the Red Sox. 
.760: Pedro’s winning percentage (117-37) with the Red Sox, tops in MLB during that span. 
64.6: Pedro’s average game score during his time with the Red Sox. It was the best mark among pitchers with at least 100 appearances, just ahead of fellow 2015 Hall inductee Randy Johnson’s 64.5 mark. 
53.8: Pedro’s WAR (wins above replacement) during his seven seasons with the Red Sox. Only Randy Johnson (54.2) had a better mark in that same stretch. Curt Schilling (47.5) and Mike Mussina (35.5) ranked third and fourth, respectively. 
313: Pedro’s single-season career-high for strikeouts (1999), a Red Sox franchise record. 
1.12: The number of strikeouts Pedro averaged per inning in his career. He’s the only pitcher in MLB history with at least 3,000 strikeouts (3,154) in fewer than 3,000 innings pitched (2,827 1/3). 
108: The number of times Pedro struck out 10 or more in a game. He trails only Nolan Ryan (215), Randy Johnson (212) and Roger Clemens (110) in total double-digit strikeout games since 1914. 
50.7: The percentage of career starts (207 of 409) in which he walked one or zero batters. 
.250: The combined career average (56-for-224) against Pedro for the 12 current Hall of Famers the right-hander faced. Frank Thomas and Barry Larkin are the only two players currently enshrined in Cooperstown to homer off Pedro. They each went deep once. 
35: The number of times Pedro struck out Jorge Posada in 86 career regular-season plate appearances. As you might recall, Pedro doesn’t like Posada very much. 
.687: Pedro’s winning percentage, which ranks second in MLB history among starters with at least 250 decisions. Whitey Ford (.690) ranks first. 
51.84: Pedro’s Win Probability Added (WPA), which is the fifth-best mark since 1974. 
141: The number of batters Pedro plunked in his career. He drilled a career-high 16 in 2004. 
3: The number of times Pedro was ejected in his career, according to BeyondTheBoxScore.com. 
43: The number of hits Pedro had in 518 career plate appearances. He had six doubles and two triples, and the rest were singles. He batted .099 in his career with 190 strikeouts and a .134 on-base percentage. So there was one thing he couldn’t do? Give the guy a break. 
19: The number of catchers lucky enough to catch Pedro during his 18-year career. Jason Varitek caught Pedro more than any other, totaling 168 games and 1,113 1/3 regular-season innings. Darrin Fletcher (92 games, 624 2/3 innings) ranks second. 
1: The number of times Pedro faced the Red Sox. He allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits over three innings in a start against Boston while with the New York Mets on June 28, 2006, at Fenway Park. Alex Gonzalez went deep for the Red Sox against Pedro in a 10-2 win that evening. 
37: The only other number Pedro wore in his major league career (with the Montreal Expos in 1994-95) 
1983: The last time a Dominican-born player (Juan Marichal) was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Pedro and Marichal are the only two Dominican-born players to be inducted so far. 
49: The number of writers who didn’t vote Pedro into the Hall of Fame. [Also, the minimum number of writers who have no business being in the sports writing trade.] 

Video: Red Sox retire Pedro's No. 45 | MLB.com

Video: Red Sox retire Pedro's No. 45 | MLB.com


Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Joe Cronin, Carl Yastrzemski, Johnny Pesky, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, Jackie Robinson, and, as of yesterday, Pedro Martinez.

Watching Pedro go into Cooperstown was amazing, but this ceremony was every bit as emotional. The Hall of Fame is the greatest honor, but there are only nine numbers on the right field wall at Fenway, and I don't imagine we'll see another go up until after Big Papi goes into the Hall.

New ☆ Tweet from @CSNNE

Pedro rocks crowd with genuine, heartfelt HOF speech, as only he could – @Sean_McAdam http://t.co/ZFGQLC4lWO http://pic.twitter.com/zqHZia7ZDy

— CSNNE.com (@CSNNE) July 26, 2015

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New ☆ Tweet from @RedSox

.@45PedroMartinez knows how to make an entrance! #PedroHOF http://pic.twitter.com/W04mcF0uBO

— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) July 26, 2015

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Pedro: Magic on the mound

Magic on the mound

GIF via the Boston Globe

The Globe's got a feature today that puts some of Pedro's achievements in graphic form.

It's also a good time to refresh our memories of this gem:

Pedro Martinez humbled to have No. 45 retired

Pedro Martinez humbled to have No. 45 retired | MLB.com: 

Pedro identifies player he would have had woken up, so he could drill him in the ass.

"To actually have a number retired in one of the teams in the big leagues, your number retired forever, so your number is going to be there on an everyday basis and on a yearly basis, it's a great honor," Martinez said. "I'm extremely humbled and extremely proud to have my number retired."

Mr. Martinez is very much about respect and being respected. This weekend in Cooperstown, and next week in Boston, he will be paid the highest honors his sport and his team can bestow upon him.

The man has earned it. No doubt. Especially after he was denied a high honor during his career. The 1999 MVP? Yes, that too. But I meant how, had he not gone to a New York team after leaving the Red Sox, my son's middle name would've been Pedro. I feel a little bit sad about how let my disgust for the Mets influence my decision. But, it's not like Pedro would've ever known even if I had, so I won't go to the grave haunted by my failure as an MVP voter like a couple of sports writers who completely failed their duty.

My mini-review: Pedro by Pedro Martinez | LibraryThing

Pedro by Pedro Martinez | LibraryThing: 

Image via LibraryThing

I'm a lifelong Red Sox fan, I love Pedro, and I think he was not only the best pitcher I ever saw, but probably the best ever. This was a tremendously fun read for me and helped me understand how Pedro felt under the glare of, and what motivated his reactions to, the Boston media. As a fan of the game, it's difficult negotiate that mediated relationship between the player and the fan through guys like Dan Shaughnessy, Peter Gammons, and the guys around the game who give us one perspective into the the players.

If you're not a baseball fan, it's hard to imagine you'd have much interest in this book. But if you're reading this, there's a good chance you are a fan of either the game, the Red Sox, or Pedro himself -- if that's the case, I think you'll enjoy Pedro's wit, charm, mischieviousness, and perspective on his own life and career.

I bought a Zim Bear for Pedro Martinez; he grabbed it by its fat head and threw it to the ground.

I, Zim Bear: This Rays giveaway is terrifying | Big League Stew - Yahoo! Sports:

Bobbleheads beware: There's a new memorabilia item in town and it poses a risk to your status as the greatest of giveaways.

No, seriously: What you're looking at is the "Zim Bear" that the Tampa Bay Rays plan to hand out to fans attending the June 29 game against the Detroit Tigers at Tropicana Field.

Word on the tweet: #Fuquay-Varina, March 29, 2011

Time for another survey of how Fuquay is faring in the Twitterverse.

@KeithOlbermann For that matter, in NC we have Climax, High Point, Blowing Rock, Moorehead City, Horneytown, and Fuquay Varina... #snickerSun Mar 27 23:28:20 via webMatthew Brooks
UberBrooks

Well played, sir.
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Just saw 2 peacocks walking n2 an intersection in Fuquay-Varina. There's no telling what in the world might happen 2day. #weirdesttweetyetThu Mar 24 12:01:05 via Twitter for iPhoneC. Ryan Wall
ryanwallpaper

I have not seen that yet but now will be vigilant.
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I got tossed out of the Fuquay Varina DMV.Thu Mar 17 18:09:07 via Twitter for AndroidAmanda Musolino
AmandaMusolino

I feel like there must be more to this story. I was going to say something like, "hope it all worked out and welcome to Fuquay," then I saw the tweet dissing Pedro Martinez. Nothing but the #ColdShoulder now. Talk trash about Pedro?! No wonder they bounced you out of there! ~grumble, grumble~
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@TheBiggIdea I'm on it. What rhymes with Fuquay-Varina, NC? @TheBoshaTue Mar 08 04:29:41 via Seesmic WebPeter Waldron
pjwaldron

Not sure how blackbird will put this in, so I'll give the context: another twitterer had said if the city you live in isn't the subject of a famous song, you should probably be trying to get out of there.  Peter, if you record a song about Fuquay, make sure you link it on twitter!

"Fuquay-Varina, it's not near the ocean /
So it ain't got a marina ..."

I'm sure I can riff off more like that, just let me know what you need.
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Fuquay is "GOD'S" country. AmenWed Mar 02 15:01:07 via Twitter for Androidjeff penny
pennyabfd

I'd like to borrow a page from @celeboratory ...
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If I used foursquare it would tell you that I'm at Aviator Bar in Fuquay-Varina. It's my favorite.Mon Feb 28 03:17:34 via txtWilliam Reinier
PFCWillReinier

And if I used Foursquare, you'd be seeing a lot of check-ins by me at the new Aviator BBQ across the street from the Aviator. So good.
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Fuquay is where i reside, since im here theres no need to hideWed Feb 23 02:15:38 via Twitter for AndroidHezekiah Jones
Jonesh25

Look at that, I think we may have a song about the F-V before long.
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A'ight, Tweeps. That's enough for now.  ♫ But, keep tweetin' Fuquay, it's the American way / You know what I mean-a, on the streets of Varina? ♫

Pedro honored at the Smithsonian

Peter Gammons: Pedro Martinez a portrait of wisdom, goodwill | MLB.com: News:

Pedro (via MLB.com via AP)

'I want children in the Dominican to have the educational opportunities that people in the United States are afforded, so someday college teams from the Dominican Republic can play against the great colleges and universities in the United States. In the end, education means opportunity.'

He is the best pitcher anyone of my generation ever saw, and we saw Roger Clemens*, Randy Johnson, and Greg Maddux, too, so that's saying something. I don't mean to downplay the long, brilliant careers of those other guys -- in terms of their Hall of Fame credentials you'd probably have to put all three of them in ahead of Pedro, if you were just looking at the back of baseball cards. All I'm saying is what we saw those two magical seasons, 1999 and 2000, from Pedro was unparalleled mastery. I was born too late to see Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson, but I have Pedro Martinez and I did not get short-changed.

* Had Clemens not turned out be steroid-addled cheater, his claim would've been indisputable. 

Mark Your Calendar, Baseball Fan

Ken Burns proud to present 10th inning - BostonHerald.com:

"The Red Sox’ World Series drive in 2004, coming after the cliff-dive in 2003, is the “big major set-piece” of the film, said Burns, with Pedro Martinez chipping in his two cents on that and other topics."

I'm staving off the depression resulting from the fact that this late season Sox-Yanks series is meaningless by looking forward to this airing next week: Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 8PM ET according to my local listings.

Update: Good grief. It's lucky I looked at a calendar and realized the 28th is Tuesday. I originally had "Wednesday and Thursday" in this post. Since I've done away with DVR, I guess I need to figure out to use my DVD-R machine again tonight, it's been a while.

Easy Pedro

Pedro's temper flares. This is the absolute last thing Red Sox Nation wants to hear.

''Thank God I'm going to go away from baseball soon, sooner than they think, so they can just take their baseball and stick it up whatever they want,'' Martinez said before the Sox' 5-1 loss to the Mariners last night. ''I'm going to go back to my country and be happy.''

More plunk news with international implications.

Love Pedro

Quote of the Day: Pedro Martinez, after pitching a 1 hitter last night in which his first inning beaning of Gerald Williams sparked a series of brawls, retaliations, and ejections -- "There's no crying in baseball."