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Red Sox: Rick Porcello’s 20th victory rekindles memories

By Tracy Katzke

Sep 9, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Rick Porcello (22) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 9, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Rick Porcello (22) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jul 29, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Hall of Fame player Pedro Martinez flips a ball into the air during his number retirement ceremony performed in Spanish before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 29, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Hall of Fame player Pedro Martinez flips a ball into the air during his number retirement ceremony performed in Spanish before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /

Pedro Martinez

Standing a diminutive 5 feet and 11 inches tall and only weighing 165 pounds, Pedro Martinez dominated the pitching landscape at the peak of the steroid era.

One slide cannot remotely do justice to the great Pedro Martinez, one of the greatest pitchers in Major League Baseball history; however, he requires mention as a two-time 20-game winner for the Boston Red Sox.

In Pedro’s seven seasons in Boston, he won 23 games in 1999 and 20 games in 2002. It is difficult to fathom that he only won 20 games twice in his career.

Martinez owns perhaps the greatest seven-year span ever produced by a starting pitcher, and unquestionably the greatest two-year span ever produced.

In the seven years from 1997-2003, Martinez won 118 games, losing only 36 games and posting a 2.20 ERA. In 1408 innings pitched, Martinez struck out 1761 batters and posted a WHIP of .940.

Pedro’s 1999 and 2000 seasons comprise the greatest two-year period of pitching ever exhibited in Major League Baseball history.

Martinez won 41 games while losing only 10 games, and posted a 1.90 ERA. During those two years, he led the American League twice in Earned Run Average, Strikeouts, WHIP, Hits and Home Runs, per 9 innings pitched, Strikeouts per nine innings pitched, and strikeout/walk ratio.

In case I failed to mention it, he also won the Cy Young Award in both of the aforementioned years.

Next: Roger Clemens

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