Projo Sox Blog

At a news conference yesterday, the day before Pedro Martinez faces the Yankees in Game Two of the World Series, the onetime Red Sox great had some eye-opening comments about his history in The Bronx.

In a comment that seemed directed as much at the media in the room as anything else, Martinez said: "I don't know if you realize this, but because of you guys in some ways I might be at times the most influential player that ever stepped in Yankee Stadium."

This generated some buzz, considering some great players (Ruth, DiMaggio, Mantle, Jackson, Jeter) have worn the pinstripes over the years. So Pedro was asked if he meant that he was the most influential visiting player.

His response: "I think in every aspect," he said, "the way (reporters) have used me and abused me since I've been coming (to Yankee Stadium), just because I wore actually a red uniform just like this one while playing for Boston, it's been like - I remember quotes in the paper, 'Here comes the man that New York loves to hate' - Man? None of you have probably ever eaten steak with me or rice and beans with me to understand what the man is about."

Martinez threw some compliments in the direction of New York fans, saying that while they were "aggressive" and passionate, they are decent people away from the diamond. But anticipating the "Who's Your Daddy" chants that are bound to fall upon him tonight, he said: "Any time I hear that 'Who's your daddy?' it really reminds me that God is my daddy. It gives me strength. . . . When you have 60,000 people chanting your name, waiting for you to throw the ball, you have to consider yourself someone special, someone that really has a purpose out there."

Among other things, Martinez was asked about the brawl in the 2003 American League Division Series at Fenway Park, in which he threw down elderly Yankees coach Don Zimmer after Zimmer charged after him, and he essentially blamed Zimmer, while saying that people should forget about the incident: "Zim charged me and I think he's going to say something, but his reaction was totally the opposite, (he) was trying to punch my mouth and told me a couple of bad words about my mom. I just had to react and defend myself."

Zimmer yesterday basically agreed with Martinez's statements, according to accounts in the New York media.

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