Pedro Martinez's 17K on 9-10-1999

halfcentman

I guess my argument is this: Even including perfect games and no-hitters, where do you rank this game as the best of all time for a pitcher?

This should be fun.

Greg

Garabaldi

I saw almost all of Pedro's starts for the Sox and this was one of his best. He was nasty and his only one mistake was a home run ball to Chilli Davis.

Tabe

<< <i>I guess my argument is this: Even including perfect games and no-hitters, where do you rank this game as the best of all time for a pitcher?

This should be fun.

Greg >>


Behind Kerry Wood's 20K 1-hitter in 1998. The one was a misplayed infield grounder, could easily have been an error. Only other baserunner was a guy that Wood hit. I seem to recall hearing that the Astros didn't even get a ball out of the infield.

Tabe

halfcentman

<< <i>

<< <i>I guess my argument is this: Even including perfect games and no-hitters, where do you rank this game as the best of all time for a pitcher?

This should be fun.

Greg >>


Behind Kerry Wood's 20K 1-hitter in 1998. The one was a misplayed infield grounder, could easily have been an error. Only other baserunner was a guy that Wood hit. I seem to recall hearing that the Astros didn't even get a ball out of the infield.

Tabe >>



The 20K Wood game is an excellent choice.

Take this into consideration: The 1999 Yankees had Knoblauch, Jeter, Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neill, Chili Davis, Strawberry, and Tino Martinez. Although Jeter is the only HOF'er, the other six players had beyond solid (or just a notch or two below) HOF careers.

I can remember telling my 2-year-old daughter the word "filthy" for the first time.

jdip9

I'm sure there were a few better, but it was hands down the most dominant performance I've ever watched as it happened. It's hard to call something the best when you give a HR, though.

Tabe makes an excellent point about Wood, without having seen the game, I'd give that the nod over Pedro, just based on the numbers.

pitboss

It's hard to rate only the one game, which I saw, the best but overall he was one of the best pitchers that I have ever seen and I have seen a lot of them in my 71 years.

halfcentman

<< <i>I'm sure there were a few better, but it was hands down the most dominant performance I've ever watched as it happened. It's hard to call something the best when you give a HR, though.

Tabe makes an excellent point about Wood, without having seen the game, I'd give that the nod over Pedro, just based on the numbers. >>



I'll go as far as to say that it's the greatest game that I ever saw where someone got a hit.

The one thing that many people do not realize about Pedro Martinez is that he actually had at least 16 different pitches based on arm angles.

You have 0.025 seconds to react to the ball when it's halfway to the plate, a 6.25% chance at guessing which exact pitch you're getting AND his motion is so deceptive that he almost never tips his pitches.

pitboss

I hope that he stays retired so that he can get in the hall of fame sooner.

A perfect scene would be him signing a one day contract with the Red Sox so he can retire a Red Sox next year on Fenway's 100 th birthday

celebration..

Connecticoin

<< <i>I hope that he stays retired so that he can get in the hall of fame sooner.

A perfect scene would be him signing a one day contract with the Red Sox so he can retire a Red Sox next year on Fenway's 100 th birthday

celebration.. >>



Would be nice, but i think he is not eligible until 2014 since he played with the Phillies in 2009.

Goot

<< <i>
Behind Kerry Wood's 20K 1-hitter in 1998. The one was a misplayed infield grounder, could easily have been an error. Only other baserunner was a guy that Wood hit. I seem to recall hearing that the Astros didn't even get a ball out of the infield.

Tabe >>




I was just talking about this the other day with a buddy...

We get WGN down here on basic cable and if you turn it on just about any day of the week between about noon and 4 pm, then you're bound to find a Cubs/Sox game. Well when I was younger I would ride my bike to my grandparents house after I got out of school and just about every day I'd come home from school and watch whatever game was on. Anyways, I still clearly remember that Kerry Wood game and while I was only 7 years old at the time and I'm not even close to being a Cubs fan, I will never forget that game. After I talked about it with my friend I went home and watched highlights of it...wow. Such a shame Wood and Prior's careers turned out the way they did.

Tabe

<< <i>

<< <i>I hope that he stays retired so that he can get in the hall of fame sooner.

A perfect scene would be him signing a one day contract with the Red Sox so he can retire a Red Sox next year on Fenway's 100 th birthday

celebration.. >>



Would be nice, but i think he is not eligible until 2014 since he played with the Phillies in 2009. >>


That actually makes him eligible in 2015. Players have to be retired for 5 full seasons to be eligible. So for Pedro, those 5 years would be 2010-2014, making him eligible in 2015. For example, George Brett last played in 1993. He got elected in 1999, his first year of eligibility.

Tabe

WinPitcher

I was at that game, his stuff was reallllllly good, better than Wells and Cone when they threw
their perfect games. ( I was at those games as well)

Steve

halfcentman

<< <i>I was at that game, his stuff was reallllllly good, better than Wells and Cone when they threw
their perfect games. ( I was at those games as well)

Steve >>



I could not agree more. I think the word "filthy" is overused when referring to a pitcher's "stuff." It was the ONLY word that could describe Pedro that night and for most of his career.

Garabaldi

He had all his pitches working that night and he really only made one mistake.

halfcentman

<< <i>He had all his pitches working that night and he really only made one mistake. >>



It has been called the greatest game ever pitched at Yankee Stadium by a visiting pitcher. I am inclined to agree.