Boston Red Sox Mount Rushmore
By David Hill
Pedro Martinez (1999-2004)
Acquired to win the World Series, Pedro Martinez delivered with the Boston Red Sox.
He cost quite a haul in prospects at the time, but Martinez proved to be worth the investment right from the beginning. Martinez dominated the American League, winning the Triple Crown in his first season in Boston. He was the unanimous AL Cy Young award winner, and finished second in the 1999 MVP vote. That placement was controversial, as he lost out on the award when two writers kept him off the ballot entirely, claiming that pitchers were not “all around players.”
Martinez continued his dominance with the Red Sox. Despite pitching at the height of the Steroid Era, he posted a 1.74 ERA in 2000. A rotator cuff injury the following year forced him to change his pitching style, but he remained as dominant as ever. His changeup continued to be devastating, a weapon that he used to neutralize the opposition.
Overall, he was a three time All Star and two time Cy Young award winner with the Red Sox, finishing in the top four in the vote five times. During his seven years in Boston, Martinez posted a 117-37 record, along with a 2.52 ERA and a 0.978 WHiP. He struck out 1683 batters, with only 309 walks, in 1383.2 innings. Few pitchers were in his class during his time with the Red Sox.
Pedro Martinez was brought in to bring a championship to the Boston Red Sox. He dominated in his role as the team ace, and succeeded in that mission.