Right-hander Pedro Martinez, who last pitched in the Majors in 2009, said he will soon officially announce his retirement, according to Cash Kruth of MLB.com.
Martinez had apparently remained open to a return to the bigs since appearing in nine regular-season and two postseason games with the Phillies in '09, but nothing materialized, and now at age 40 and two full years removed from big league action, it's hard to imagine him catching on anywhere.
A three-time Cy Young Award winner and arguably the best pitcher of the offense-heavy 1990s and early aughts, Martinez has already cemented his legacy as one of the top hurlers in MLB history and projects as a lock for the Hall of Fame.
Martinez will hang 'em up with a record of 219-100 and a 2.93 ERA in 18 seasons with the Dodgers, Expos, Red Sox, Mets and Phillies. The advanced metrics are equally flattering as the traditional stats: 154 ERA+, 2.91 FIP, 89.4 WAR. Pedro's 291 ERA+ in 2000 is the highest single-season adjusted ERA in the modern era.
Wait, he wasn’t retired before?
In all seriousness, though – he was a great pitcher and is probably a first ballot hall of famer.
obviously not
“Probably”? He’s a lock…
I would never trust the BBWAA that much.
He may have done steroids, don’t forget.
I guess we could say that about 100% of the players who played with him, but there’s really no “evidence” other than his stats.
You’re dumb.
“who last pitched in the Majors since 2009”
I take it your editor has also retired?
BOBDIGI08 DON’T YOU SEE? YOU WERE THE EDITOR ALL ALONG
There can only be one Creature. It’s not you.
yeah, one is more than enough.
SPORTS33 LOOK BEYOND DIALECT
You, sir, are my editor!
I do think there is ample evidence that Pedro did ‘roids. To think otherwise is naive.
There is no evidence sir. And you replied to the wrong thread.
I still say Jim “Kitty” Kaat should be in..
for what it’s worth?? Noticed Charlie O’Finley is on the old timers ballot this year as a 1st timer.. Wonder if his mule is also??
John, 100% agree with you on Kaat, along with Santo and Hodges..
A part of my childhood memories just died a little bit. We will miss you Pedro!
I’ll miss him throwing Don Zimmer to the ground…Oh wait.
Im waiting..
This is so shocking. /s
Anyway, your talents will be missed.
You’re smart. /s
It’s about time, Pedro. When you were in your prime there was nobody like you.
Congratulations, and I look forward to your HOF induction!
Arguably yes that goes to Maddux but Pedro was awesome
I’d say prime years (7 years from each) it’s more in favor of Pedro.
Pedro age 25-31: 1408.0 IP, 2.20 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 11.3 K/9, 5.59 K/BB 213 ERA+
Maddux age 26-32: 1675.1 IP, 2.15 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 6.9 K/9, 4.78 K/BB 191 ERA+.
It’s arguably because they are pretty close but they differ in a few things. They both dominated keeping men off the base path and letting in (earned) runs but while Maddux was a more reliable pitcher (Maddux 239 IP/season in that span to Pedro’s 201) Pedro absolutely dominated the batters. He didn’t walk batters and he struck them out at a ridiculous rate. BBs and Ks are 2 of the ways to evaluate what a pitcher does independently. To be able to control the game the way he did was second to none (in my opinion)
It was nice seeing him pitch in a Phillies uniform. Great career.
(oh, you did include ERA+. FIP- is 50 to 62, adv. pedro)
they’re both baseball immortals. i think pedro was clearly more dominant during his peak, but that 5000 (!!) innings of a 3.2 ERA/FIP pitching is more impressive than 2800 innings of 2.9
Much respect to Pedro and what he has done in his career. Will miss his hilarious press conferences but definitely not his stellar pitching. Even as a Yankee fan you have to tip your cap to this destined Hall of Famer.
at least give dan duquette one more shot to sign you before retiring for good
Great career! One of my all-time favorites! No one in recent memory, perhaps in history, was as electrifying as Pedro! We will probably never witness another Pedro in our lifetime!
Thanks for all the great years in Boston!
Glad you played with the Phillies Pedro.
Agreed. Every time I look at his stats in 99 and 2000, I’m still amazed by how he could’ve accomplished that…particularly during that era. Those seasons are no doubt up for consideration as the best pitching seasons in MLB history!
Oops that did not come out right. That was a reply to Infield Fly.
I’m sure u aren’t the real Nomar, but if u are, u should know how he achieved his HOF status.
Lol look at Greg maddux’s stats
Just the best. Anyone who enjoys baseball enjoyed watching him dominate in his prime. Such an amazing presence on the mound.
Best pitcher in the 90’s? I think Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens might have something to say about that…in any case, enjoy your retirement Pedro, you deserve it.
Over the entire decade, yeah…but in his peak, Pedro was better than any of them.
Those other guys had careers that were several years longer, but none of them ever dominated the way the Pedro did. The last person I can find who dominated the way Pedro did was Koufax.
92-95 Maddox…
…was not as dominant as ’99-’01 Pedro
had he pitched a full season in 2001, that would have been ~33 WAR in 3 seasons. just absurd
Everything about him was absurd. It’s still unbelievable to me every time I look at his numbers. 1.39 FIP!?!
dan duquette is so pissed
Lousy human being, fantastic pitcher. His greatness will forever be tainted by him throwing a 75 year old man to the ground. So long.
Zimmer had that coming.
zimmer attacked him
That 75 year old man was running at him and he had to make a split-second decision. I doubt you would’ve done differently…
It’ was a no win situation, either do something or become Robin Ventura.
Thats why i love him.
Zimmer was clearly the aggressor in that situation.
yes he was
I remember when Tim Lincecum and Pedro went face to face back in 2009 and it was a very hyped up game. Turned out to be a great game. Martinez was a great pitcher during his career. Just imagine if the Expos decided to keep most of the players they actually had coming up through their system. Would’ve been a dangerous team.
just imagine if they had decided to keep the expos
pedro came up with the dodger; but the point is fair
If only he weren’t so picky and adamant to pitch only half a season, he would have got more chances.
Easily the best pitcher I’ve ever seen in person and one of those guys that you stopped what you were doing to watch him work in his peak years. In his 7 year peak, he was simply unhittable. He WAS the best pitcher of his era.
And his interviews were always hysterical.
Great career Pedro.
Who’s your daddy!
I don’t think we’ll ever be so spoiled to see so many incredible pitchers take the mound in one generation. Maddux, Johnson, and Martinez were three of the greatest ever.
strikeout kings! 1999
johnson 364 (12.06 K/9; 9.8 WAR)
pedro 313 (13.2 K/9; 12.1 WAR)
i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii32/logawv/Drawer17/1…
Man do I love that photo.
lol at 13.2 k/9 from a starting pitcher
During the “steroid” era none the less.
the ’99 all-star game is one of the greatest baseball memories i have. just surreal watching him blow away star after star. it’s a shame this is the only video of it left on youtube
youtube.com/watch?v=mNFloPq_WNY
mlb seriously sucks with the protection of their videos
My biggest baseball regret will always be not getting really intensely into baseball until 2002 and thus not being able to fully appreciate how spectacular Pedro was in 1999/2000 for the Sox. Looking forward to seeing his don a Sox cap again in Cooperstown in a few years 😀
Pedro I remember the stuff that you had at the 1999 A/S game, you were unreal.
Also, I wonder if you would make a good pitching coach? You had one of the best fastballs ever. Then in 2009 when your fastball wasn’t as good when you joined the Phillies you had a more cerebral approach. I think you could do it if you wanted to if asked. Just as long as you didn’t have to work with Don Zimmer =P.
you do realize that pedro is never going to read this, right?
Don’t harsh is mellow!
Pedro was amazing. Wonder if he has enough to be in the HOF.
I hope you are kidding.
by has enough you mean will be a unanimous first ballot HOFer? yea
Unanimous? Never.
Not saying he shouldn’t be, but it’s never happened before because some of the writers don’t think it ever should, for whatever reason.
…because they are idiots. The rationale for not voting for guys like Rickey Henderson, Cal Ripken, and Tony Gwynn is that they shouldn’t be unanimous if Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb weren’t. Rubbish.
Agreed
Pedro will 1st ballot. Not a doubt in my mind.
It’s amazing how such an offensively oriented era produced so many of the greatest pitchers to ever take the mound. When you have Randy Johnson, Maddux and Pedro having these seasons all at the same time, its easy overlook Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Curt Schilling (I still say Kevin Brown is a HoF).
Pedro was in 3 postseason games in ’09. 1 against the Dodgers and 2 against his ‘Daddies’
I remember going to Fenway late in ’99 when Pedro pitched. It’s a cliched expression, but it was electric in the ballpark. He notched his 300th strikeout for the season in that game and everyone went even more bonkers at that point.
It was a highlight of my life seeing that man pitch a couple times a year when I was growing up in New England. He made you damn proud to be a Sox fan anytime he picked up a baseball.
what an amazing career for pedro. he was easily the most dominating pitcher in the mlb in the late 90’s-early 2000’s.
Pedro is a first-ballot HOFer and his peak of 1999 and 2000 was better than Greg Maddux’s best seasons, but the argument can definitely be made that Greg Maddux was the more consistent, more valuable pitcher over their career. I’d take 12 years of Maddux’s dominance to Pedro’s 8 or 9.
Of course, given my username, I admit the possibility of bias. They’re both amazing, but I’d peg Maddux as the better overall pitcher for their careers.
with how great he was for all those years, you would’ve thought he’d’ve had more than 12 wins per year, wouldn’t you? He was dominant in the ERA & Ks but not W i guess, still HOFer though
looking at his 1999 and 2000 stats give me chills. absolutely incredible
’99: 313 K’s, 37 walks lol
’00: 284 K’s, 32 walks lol
im a dodger fan, but i wont talk about letting him get away. though i wish i could have seen him as a dodger when i was a kid
but 2009. i wasnt awed then because i wanted to beat him, but his game 2 start looking back was pretty cool. his change was nasty that day
Amazing career. Congrats Pedro. Job well done.
Pedro was a beast and we all loved him. Please take the Soxs uniform in the hall. One of the greatest EVER!
I have never like Pedro but he was amazing. Might be ibecause he is mexican
He is great but not a first ballot HoF. Never lasted more than 220 IP except once. While Johnson and Maddux have more than 4000 IP over their career, Pedro did not even reach 3000. Yes, he was the most dominating in his prime but for a career player, I take Maddux and Johnson over Pedro.
For their career Maddux and Johnson were better. But given the stats in the article and the sheer dominance he displayed while he pitched he is a first ballot Hof. You also have to realize that Johnson and Maddux were both fairly large men with sturdy builds and could take pitching 250 innings. Pedro was 5’9″ and 170lbs and throwing 100mph fastballs. There is only so much the body can take when you are that small. If you consider that, he did well to pitch the innings he did.
There is no doubt that Pedro is a first ballot Hall Of Famer.