Starting Pitcher #2
Pedro Martinez (with Red Sox from 1998-2004)
117-37, .760, 2.52 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 1383.7 IP, 190 ERA+ (with Red Sox)
Pedro Martinez was already a very good pitcher when he was acquired by the Red Sox in a steal of a deal with the Montreal Expos for Carl Pavano and player to be named later Tony Armas, Jr. The previous year, Pedro was 17-8 with a league-leading 1.90 ERA and 13 complete games (also leading the league). He had just won the NL Cy Young Award.
With the Red Sox, Pedro Martinez went from very good to transcendent. Right in the heart of the high-offense era, Pedro was 101-28, with a 2.26 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in the six years from 1998 to 2003. During this time,the ERA in the American League was 4.65 and the WHIP was 1.43. He struck out 11.2 batters per nine innings and walked just 1.9 batters per nine. Pedro’s peak was at an all-time high level. He was worth more Wins Above Replacement in those six years than Bartolo Colon has been worth in his 19 years in the big leagues.
During his seven years in Boston, Pedro won two AL Cy Young awards and finished in the top four six times. The one year he didn’t finish among the top pitchers in the league was 2001, when he only started 18 games because of an injury. He was still a very good pitcher in the 116 2/3 innings he pitched (2.39 ERA).
He was also a joy to watch. At 5’11”, 170 pounds, he was not the big, thick-bodied pitcher that many teams love to have. He was small and wiry, more in the mold of Negro League legend Satchel Paige. He was a magician on the mound, with a great fastball and excellent control. He was at his peak during the 1999 All-Star game when he struck out the first four batters he faced and five of the first six.
One of the great stathead debates regarding Pedro is whether he was better in 1999 or 2000. He started 29 games both years and pitched 213 2/3 innings in 1999 and 217 innings in 2000, so his time on the mound was roughly the same. In 1999, he was 23-4 with a 2.07 ERA (1.39 FIP). In 2000, he was 18-6 with a 1.74 ERA (2.17 FIP). His WHIP was 0.92 in 1999 and 0.74 in 2000. Some people choose the 2000 season because he had a better ERA and WHIP, while others choose 1999 because he had a better FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) and struck out 29 more batters in 3 2/3 fewer innings, so he was more dominant.
FanGraphs WAR, which uses FIP, has Pedro’s 1999 season as the most valuable single season by any pitcher ever (11.6 WAR). His 2000 season ranks 37th (9.4 WAR). Baseball-Reference, which uses runs allowed, has Pedro’s 2000 season worth 11.7 WAR and his 1999 season worth 9.7 WAR. Whatever side you’re on, both seasons were incredible.
Pedro’s final season with the Red Sox was in 2004. It was also his worst season. After six years with an ERA under 3.00 each year, his ERA ballooned to 3.90. This was still well below the AL average of 4.63, but not vintage Pedro. The Red Sox made the playoffs that year and swept the Angels in the ALDS. Pedro started and won the second game of the series.
The Red Sox faced the hated Yankees in the ALCS, which was one of the great seven game series of our time. The Yankees took a 3 games to 0 lead. Pedro pitched well in his Game Two start, but lost. The Red Sox looked to be down and out in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game Four . . . until Kevin Millar walked, pinch-runner Dave Roberts stole second, and Bill Mueller singled him in. They won the game on a David Ortiz home run in the bottom of the 12th.
Pedro pitched poorly in Game Five, but the Red Sox were able to eek out a 14-inning victory on another David Ortiz game-winning hit. They won the next game to force a Game Seven. In Game Seven, Pedro came on in relief with the Red Sox leading 8-1, but he was ineffective and allowed two runs. The Red Sox won anyway and were in the World Series once again.
As seen in the movie Fever Pitch, the Red Sox swept the Cardinals to win their first World Series since 1918. Pedro started and won Game Three with seven shutout innings. Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore lived happily ever after.
After the 2004 season, Pedro was a free agent. The Red Sox were willing to give him three guaranteed years on a contract, but not a fourth. The Mets came in with a guaranteed contract for four years and Pedro signed with the Mets. He had a good first year with the Mets (15-8, 2.82 ERA), but limped to the finish line of his career with three more seasons with the Mets and a final nine-game stint with the Phillies. He’s still well-loved in Boston.