Tom Britton of the Providence Journal is reporting that Pedro Martinez told reporters over the weekend that he is finally officially planning to retire. Martinez hasn’t pitched since 2009 when he went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in nine starts with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Martinez will finish his career with a 219-100 record with a 2.93 ERA, 3,154 strike outs, and a 1.05 WHIP in 2827.1 innings with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Phillies. He also won three Cy Young awards and finished in the top-five of American League MVP voting twice. He should have won the AL MVP award in 1999, but that is for whole other post.

While those overall numbers are impressive and will no doubt land Martinez in the Hall of Fame in five years, it’s what he did between 1997 and 2003 that will do down as stuff of legend.

In the height of the Steroid Era, when guys like Ken Caminiti were winning MVP awards and Brady Anderson was slugging 50 HR’s, Martinez might have pitched the best 1,400 innings in Major League history. In those seven years, Martinez was 118-36 with a 2.20 ERA, 11.3 K/9, and a 0.94 WHIP in 1,408 innings.

To put those numbers in some context, from 1963 – 1969, which was the height of Bob Gibson‘s career and in an era where pitching dominated, Gibson had a 2.55 ERA, 7.6 K/9, and a 1.09 WHIP in 1915 innings. Yes, Gibson pitched more innings, but his numbers aren’t even close to what Martinez did in his prime and Pedro was pitching in an extreme hitter’s era.

As someone who lived in Massachusetts during Pedro’s prime years, I will remember him for three things.

1. The day the Red Sox traded for him: On November 18, 1997, my roommates in college and I were sitting around our house when the news broke on the 6:00 pm (unfortunately no Twitter, Facebook, and barely any cell phone usage back then. Man, am I old) Sportscenter that the Red Sox had traded Carl Pavano, and Tony Armas Jr. for Martinez.

In a house full of Red Sox fans it was a holy sh$t moment. We got the great Martinez, a pitcher who just won the NL Cy Young award and is entering his prime.

It was a move the Red Sox had to make. You don’t understand, the year before, the Red Sox had a rotation that was led by a washed-up Steve Avery and a mentally fragile Aaron Sele. The Red Sox couldn’t go into another season with a rotation like that and expect to compete with the New York Yankees who were starting to dominate baseball at the time.

They also needed to make this move because of the gap left by Roger Clemens after the 1996 season. The Red Sox let Clemens go after 1996 and until Pedro’s arrival in 98′, Boston’s GM at the time, Dan Duquette, had no gameplan as to how to replace him. That probably should have been our first sign that he wasn’t up for the challenge.

Pedro’s arrival made Boston relevant again and instantly made them contenders.

2. Game 5, 1999 ALDS: After being down 0-2 to the Cleveland Indians in the 1999 ALDS, the Red Sox pounded the Indians 32-10 in two games at Fenway Park to even up the series. The Red Sox had the momentum heading into Game 5 in Cleveland, but had one problem: Who was going to pitch?

Martinez, who started Game 1, left the game in the fourth inning because of a back problem. That injury lingered into Game 5 and Pedro wasn’t able to start. Boston had to start Bret Saberhagen on three days rest and that was a disaster. Luckily for Boston, Charles Nagy wasn’t much better.

After three innings, the Indians led 8-7. Then, there was some movement in the bullpen. Martinez was starting to warm up. Nobody thought he would pitch and now he could potentially come into the game. The more he was warming up, the more it became a reality he was coming in that game.

When that bullpen door opened in the bottom of the fourth and out came Pedro, the Indians were toast. Their fans knew it and more importantly, the Indian batters knew it.

Martinez was clearly not 100 percent that night, but he didn’t need to be. He used something else besides his arm to beat the Indians — his brain. Besides his great stuff, that’s what separated Martinezfrom every other pitcher — his brain.

On those rare days when Martinez didn’t have his best stuff, he was able to outsmart hitters. And that is what Martinez did that night.

Martinez didn’t allow a hit and struck out eight in six innings against an Indian lineup that featured Kenny Lofton, Omar Vizquel, Roberto Alomar, Manny Ramirez, and Jim Thome in their primes. He made them all look silly that night.

Pedro struck out Vizquel on a wicked slider for the final out of the game. It was a fitting ending to the game and afterwards, a fitting celebration. Jason Varitek lifted Pedro high in the arm and then the rest of his teammates surrounded him on the mound making him the center of attention.

The only way Pedro would want it.

3. September 10, 1999: Martinez started 32 games against the Yankees during the regular season, but none compared to his start on September 10, 1999. That game stands out for me for two reasons: 1. I was hanging out with my ex that night and it turned out to be the last night we ever did hang out 2. Pedro was at his best.

I don’t remember a pitcher dominating a World Series-caliber lineup like Martinez dominated the Yankees that night. He struck out 17 that night, but it felt like he struck out 27 that night. The Yankees didn’t stand a chance.

The only hit Martinez gave up was a solo HR to Chili Davis in the second inning. That was it. He didn’t even walk a batter. Nine innings, one hit, one run, no walks, 17 K’s, and 120 pitches. He got 19 swings and misses. 19!!!

There are few things better than watching a great pitcher, in his prime, and on top of his game.

The next stop for Martinez is Cooperstown and a sure-fire, first-ballot Hall of Famer. I would love to hear the explanation given by the person or persons who don’t don’t vote for him on the first try. Those people should have their HOF voting privileges revoked.

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By The Baseball Index