I know Pedro is no longer on the Red Sox. I know this was written last season. And I know that their a season going on.
But I never had a chance to show this to a “Red Sox” audience.
So remember who the “Daddy” really was.
Because it wasn’t the team that we are playing against this weekend.
“What can I say? I tip my hat and call the Yankees my Daddy.”
The greatest pitcher, at his peak, in the history
of baseball, said this after yet another frustrating outing against the
vaunted New York Yankees.
And Pedro hasn’t had much redemption on a
personal level since, he hasn’t had many chances. Because while Wins
and Losses don’t mean much when evaluating a pitchers true
performance. I am almost positive they matter on a personal level. I
have a difficult time believing that a pitcher doesn’t enjoy earning
a “W” next to his name, rather than a “no decision (ND),” or even
worse, a “Loss.”
And Pedro has beaten the New York Yankees only once
since that emotion-rattling 2004 season. A 2-0 victory on April 25,
2004 was the last time that he (Pedro) walked off the mound victorious
as a member of the Red Sox against the team that he personally declared
to be his “Daddy” (But winning once as a member of the Mets).
We all know how that 2004 season played out. The
Red Sox had the last laugh and Pedro had the ultimate revenge. Yet he
never actually earned a “W” against them after he spit out the quote
mentioned above, even though they won game 5 with him as the
starting pitcher that day. And a World Series title means more than
one win, no matter who the team is.
But on a small personal level, I
have a strong feeling that Pedro really wants to beat those same
Yankees. And he gets another shot at it tonight. With diminished
velocity and an injury seemingly lingering just around the corner with
every pitch, he GETS HIS CHANCE…again.
Pedro has had three chances to redeem himself on a
personal level since he joined the New York Mets.
In 2005, Pedro
pitched seven strong, giving up one earned, allowing five baserunners,
and watching six Yankee hitters walk back to the dugout with their
heads down. But the Mets lost the game.
Later that season, Pedro
finally earned a win against his biggest personal rival (on the
baseball field): Eight innings, eight runners occupying a base, and
three K’s (not particularly impressive in the strikeout category).
But the Mets beat the Yankees. And Pedro finally received some
closure.
In 2006, the Yankees beat the Mets…again. But Pedro was as
good as he had been against the Yankees in a long time. Not 17 K,
one-hit good. But good regardless: 7 innings, 4 hits, 1BB, and 8
K’s. Oh, and ZERO runs, zero earned, and zero unearned. But the
Yankees rallied, off the good, but overrated Billy Wagner, to scored
four in the ninth, and 1 more in the eleventh to earn a victory.
But Pedro has been pretty close to idle the past
year and a half, making five appearances in 2007, and five more in
2008. So he hasn’t had a chance to face them in a while. I am sure
that his emotions will be stirring a little.
He may end up saying that
it is “Just another game.” But it isn’t. This was his greatest rival
for many years, and he had some incidents against them. I think that
it is safe to say that Martinez and the Yankees have a “history.”
But one thing that I kind of enjoy is the notion
that Pedro hasn’t fared well against the New York Yankees.
Some want
to remember what happened the last few seasons in Boston, when Pedro
was very good, but not incredible as he was before.
In 31
career starts against the Yanks, Pedro has a 3.03 ERA in the regular
season. In 211 innings he has wiffed 257 Yankee hitters, while walking
only 58. Pedro has a WHIP of 1.00. That is completely dominant. This
is not only the most successful franchise in the history of the sport,
but is also the most successful of the past 12 seasons as well, seasons
in which Pedro has taken the mound against them.
The fact is, Pedro
Martinez has actually been the Yankees’ “Daddy.” The Red Sox haven’t,
but Pedro has. He is only 11-10 against them, but those aforementioned
numbers tell us how he has actually performed, and that is simply GREAT.
Memories are stronger the later something occurs,
or closer to the present. Some fail to remember what he was, and what
he did the majority of his career against the Yankees. So remember
2004, if you wish. But 1999 happened too.
And Pedro takes the mound, against the Yankees
tonight. He may get shelled, he may not. But it is Pedro against the
Yankees, and I will be watching.
Reposted because Pedro and the Yankees had many moments. And the Red Sox happen to play the Yankees for the first time this season.