MLB: the joy of watching Dennis Martinez throw in the bullpen

As we celebrate the birthday of Dennis Martinez I am reminded of the time he entertained the crowd with his patented pitching style in the bullpen.

There was something unique about the way Dennis Martinez went through his delivery before pitching a baseball. If all facial features were stripped and he was throwing as just a silhouette, he would still be recognizable by his distinct motion.

Martinez gave twenty-three years to the game he loved, winning a total of 245 games along the way. When he broke into the league in 1976 he was the first player from Nicaragua to do so.

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Playing the majority of his years with the Baltimore Orioles and Montreal Expos, Martinez was an All-Star at age 41 with the Cleveland Indians, before pitching with two other teams. Maybe best known for his perfect game with the Expos, El Presidente, as he was affectionately referred to, also started games in two separate World Series.

After his playing days Martinez made his way to the coaching side of the game, and in 2013 was the Houston Astros bullpen coach. The ’13 version of the Astros lost 111 games and finished 13th out of 15 in attendance.

Tickets were easy to come by, especially in Section 156, right behind the Astros bullpen.

In big black letters, I wrote El Presidente on a large, white pasteboard and headed to my seat in the front row of Section 156. When Martinez made his way to the bullpen before the game I held the sign high. He was within ten feet of the bullpen as he smiled and pointed at me.

He came right to me and we had about a ten-minute conversation. The interaction itself was great, though nothing compared to what was in store later.

Just before the game began, after the starting pitcher had already done his warmup tosses, Martinez grabbed a ball and went to the bullpen mound.

With his textbook leg kick high enough to touch his elbow, head tucked so chin was touching his shoulder, he began to go through the motions as if he too were warming up for a start.

His focus was as crisp as his movements and through his mind, one of the 692 big league games he pitched must have been circling. At one time Martinez was a grown man playing a kid’s game. At this point he was a retired man, mimicking playing a kid’s game, and it was a sight to see.

Dennis Martinez only lasted one year as the bullpen coach in Houston, though it only took that one game to leave a lasting memory for me.

Happy Birthday, Dennis!