Former Phillie Pedro Martinez headed for Latino HOF
September 26, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox former pitcher Pedro Martinez during pre-game ceremonies prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
On Friday the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame announced its 2015 induction class and former Philadelphia Phillies’ pitcher Pedro Martinez was included.
Martinez spent his final major league season with Philadelphia in 2009. The Dominican Native was certainly in the twilight of his career at 37, but he had decent stats in a Phillies’ uniform. In nine starts Martinez went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA. He totaled 37 strikeouts during his tenure with the Phillies and has 3,154 overall, good enough for 13th on the all-time list.
The Phillies signed Martinez as a free agent on July 15, 2009 in hopes he could help them moving into postseason play. In the 2009 National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he tossed seven innings of two-hit baseball in his only start in the series. The right-hander was far less successful in the World Series against his long-time nemesis the New York Yankees. In two World Series starts, he lost both games while putting in 10 innings and allowing seven earned runs.
Most remember Pedro Martinez for his time spent with the Boston Red Sox, but he spent the last five seasons of his career in the National League East. Before his final season with the Phillies, Martinez was a member of the New York Mets. Prior to his time in Boston he was with the Montreal Expos and the Dodgers, the club that signed him as a free agent in 1988.
Along with Martinez, his former teammate Nomar Garciaparra is also in the 2015 Latino Baseball Hall of Fame class. They are considered part of the Modern Era group which includes players from 1970 to present time. Other players in this group include Carlos Delgado, Ozzie Guillen, Luis Gonzalez and Roberto Kelly. Each of these players represents a different country in the class.
The induction ceremony will take place on February 7, 2015 in La Romana, Dominican Republic.