I remember the days before 2003 well. When we, as fans, wondered why the owners and GM didn’t know that you needed pitching to win it all. That pitching was what would get you to the finish line. That Pedro Martinez couldn’t do everything for the team his damn self.
Well, we got new owners and we got pitching and we got two (so far) World Championships. 🙂
Watching the past few games (six wins in a row, baby!) and seeing how our pitchers are stepping up (I am totally willing to cop to not being thrilled about the Colon pickup. I still have some concerns, but he AND the bullpen certainly came through last night!) makes me very hopeful for the rest of this season. And got me to thinking about Pedro.
I’m convinced we’ll never see anyone like Pedro with the team ever again. Not just his loose ways in the dugout when he wasn’t pitching, but, more importantly, the way he pitched. And the reaction Pedro on the mound garnered from the fans. If you weren’t fortunate enough to ever see Pedro pitch while he was on the Red Sox, you certainly missed out. I was lucky enough to have been there live for a good lot of his games and it’s almost indescribable what the place was like. It was a rock concert. Every time he stepped out to take the mound, it was as if Elvis was in front of us.
I got to take my dad to at least three Pedro-pitched games, and he still talks about them. Some days I forget what I wore to work the day before, but I remember almost every moment of each Pedro game. Even in the days when you could get good tickets the same week, hell the same DAY as a game at the box office with no trouble, getting tickets for a Pedro game was tough. There was a buzz through the park from the minute people entered until we were walking out at the end of the game.
I’ve seen a no-hitter (Clay Buchholz’) in person. I’ve been to a playoff game and a World Series game at Fenway. I was even there for Curt Schilling’s 20th win in 2004 and I was in Fenway for Daisuke Matsuzaka’s Fenway debut and I STILL have never experienced anything like the electricity in the park on any day that Pedro pitched. Granted, the no-hitter is still, flat-out, the best game I’ve ever attended. And the playoff game was when Manny hit the walk-off against the Angels. It doesn’t get any COOLER than that. And Game 1 of the 2007 World Series? ‘Nuf said, right? No taking away from any of that. But Pedro’s appearances were “happenings” and they happened every five days.
I’m a big fan of our pitchers, obviously. And if you’re at Fenway and get to see Jonathan Papelbon enter a game, it’s a pretty surreal experience. And watching Josh Beckett pitch when he’s on is something I hope every Sox fan gets to witness. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Paps and Beckett plenty of times and as fabulous as it is, it still doesn’t compare to the Pedro games.
I was upset when Pedro signed with the Mets, but I saw it coming. Anyone who followed Pedro knew his personality and knew he was going for “more” than the Sox were going to offer. (And, truly, as much as I wanted him to stay, I didn’t think he was going to end up being worth what he wanted.) Hey, he didn’t go to the Yankees so I dealt with it. I was there in 2006 when he ‘returned’ to Fenway with the Mets and will always be thankful I was. Especially given that he’s talking about retiring after this season is over because his dad is sick.
“It’s taking a toll on me and my family, my dad’s situation. I haven’t been there for them. I just realized that between last year and this year I haven’t been there for my family, my parents. That’ll probably drag me away from the game a little sooner than people expect. After this season, I’m going to go back home and think about it and I’m going to decide.”
I know he never was the same Pedro in New York that he was in Boston, but I still think baseball will miss him immensely when he’s gone. I know I will.
The newest story is that Pedro went back to the Dominican Republic yesterday to be with his dad who suffered a setback. My thoughts and prayers are with Petey and his family.
There were great times before and after Pedro Martinez made Fenway his home, but I think we’ll really never see any individual player as amazing as Pedro around these parts, or maybe even in baseball, again. I hope I’m wrong.
Daisuke on the mound at 1:35pm today. Thank goodness for GameDay and mlb.tv huh?
Both photos lifted from Boston.com
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