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Pedro Martinez puts David Ortiz’s Fernando Tatis Jr. comments to shame

By Gabrielle Starr

Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez, right, and teammate David Ortiz point skyward after Martinez completed seven innings with a 4-1 lead against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Fenway Park in Boston, Saturday, June 13, 2004. (Photo by J Rogash/Getty Images)
Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez, right, and teammate David Ortiz point skyward after Martinez completed seven innings with a 4-1 lead against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Fenway Park in Boston, Saturday, June 13, 2004. (Photo by J Rogash/Getty Images) /
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Pedro Martinez has harsh words for Fernando Tatis Jr. amidst PEDs scandal

Boston Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez is among many in the baseball world less than thrilled with Fernando Tatis Jr., who received an 80-game suspension last week for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy.

The suspension, effective immediately, ruined his season before it even began. Tatis had yet to play a game for the San Diego Padres this year because he’d shown up to spring training with a fractured wrist sustained in a motorcycle accident. In other words, the PED suspension on top of reckless, potentially contract-violating behavior, is an enormous case of adding insult to injury.

When asked for his take on TBS this week, Martinez didn’t mince words:

For starters, “You know how to read” is such a simple, yet powerful roast. Has Pedro been studying at the school of Dennis Eckersley?

Everything Martinez said in his condemnation of Tatis is true. He’s a well-educated man who knows the rules, as much, if not more than his teammates, because he’s the son of a former MLB player.

However, after saying there’s no excuse, Martinez also put some blame on the Padres for not keeping a more watchful eye on Tatis, which is a bit outrageous. While the 23-year-old is on the younger end of MLB players, he’s an adult who signed an unprecedented extension and should know the responsibility that comes with it. It’s not the Padres’ responsibility to babysit him. Martinez references Tatis’ motorcycle misbehavior as a reason the team needed to be more involved, but in reality, it’s the opposite; after breaking their trust over the offseason, Tatis should’ve been more vigilant about not getting into any kind of trouble. He wasn’t.

Still, a better response to the Tatis situation than Martinez’s BFF David Ortiz, who seemed more unhappy with how the Tatis news broke than his actual transgression. Ortiz condemned MLB, but not Tatis:

"“MLB needs to have some regulations before they made public news like the one that happened to Tatis Jr. I think they haven’t handled this situation the right way. We can’t kill our product, we’re talking about an amazing player.”"

10 points to Pedro, none for Papi.

All in all, Martinez is correct. Tatis has no excuse. Perhaps that’s why he opted not to appeal his suspension.

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