My favorite pitcher of all time, Pedro Martinez, is officially a Hall of Famer. Makes me feel old, but I’ll never forget how in his prime, his starts were appointment television. “I can’t go out tonight, Pedro is starting.” His 1999-2001 was otherworldly, like watching a videogame come to life. It got so ridiculous that when he struck out Larkin, Walker, Sosa, McGwire, and Bagwell at the height of the steroid era at the 1999 All-Star Game, no one was really that surprised. It was even more fun to watch him adapt as his body faltered, relying on cunning and guile to retire batters. Old Pedro could still get you out, for one reason: Old Pedro was smarter than you.
Congrats Pedro, and thanks for the memories. 5’11”, 150 pounds soaking wet, threw 98 mph fastballs, and didn’t take any sh*t from anyone. That’s a Hall of Famer right there!
–Mike Drummey is an actor and writer living in New York City
