Pedro in Pinstripes Would Be Fitting End to HOF Career
By Mike Silva ~ June 19th, 2009. Filed under: Mike Silva.
It may be, to quote Jon Heyman, “a long shot for either New York team to sign Pedro Martinez”, but it was interesting to hear the Yankees are at least taking a look.
Pedro in pinstripes might be the fitting end to a Hall of Fame career. Why not? The Yankees have never had a problem signing enemies in the past. Think Roger Clemens. This would be different because of Pedro’s history in Boston and with the Mets. You could not only sign a potential starting pitcher, but hurt two of your biggest rivals in the process.
Red Sox fans will never admit it, but seeing their beloved Pedro in pinstripes would hurt. I was at the game in 2006 when Pedro returned to Fenway and it was a love affair the entire three game series. I got the feeling that the fans understood why Pedro left and, in the end, it turned out to be the right move by Theo Epstein. Would they forgive Pedro if he signed with the evil empire? What would their reaction be if he took the Fenway mound in September with a chance to pitch the Yankees into first place? We saw how Johnny Damon was treated upon his return so you have to think the love affair would end.
The Mets wouldn’t see Pedro on the mound, but the fans would have to cope with him making news in the same city. Despite the recent struggles, the Yankees have an excellent chance of navigating the American League this year. It’s not farfetched to think of a 27th World Series. Pedro pitching a big playoff game for the Yanks? How about one better. Think about Mets fans watching him drive down the Canyon of Heroes in late October. In some ways Pedro has more recent meaning to Mets fans, versus the Red Sox, because of how he symbolized the turnaround of the franchise.
Pitching poorly on a team that had a horrible September slump is no way to end a career. Even Pedro’s final start, against the Cubs at Shea Stadium, was done on a cold, rainy, and empty stage. This very well may be a fantasy, but Pedro in pinstripes might be the perfect inside fastball he could throw to end an historic career.
