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Pedro: The Inspiring Baseball Memoir of an Eight-Time All-Star, Hall of Fame Pitcher, and World Series Champion
A New York Times bestseller
“ Pedro the book is as smart, as funny, and as diva-esque as Pedro the pitcher . . . Buy the book. Read the book. Celebrate a golden era in Boston baseball.” — Boston Globe
“There is little the eight-time All-Star holds back about any subject as he offers a revealing look at a colorful career . . . The intimate details Martinez offers up from both inside and outside the clubhouse make the book a winner.”— Washington Post
Pedro Martinez entered the big leagues a scrawny power pitcher with a lightning arm who they said wasn’t “durable” enough, who they said was a punk. Yet Martinez willed himself to become one of the most intimidating pitchers to have ever played the game, an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, World Series champion, and Hall of Famer.
In Pedro , the always colorful pitcher opens up to tell his remarkable story. From his days in the minor leagues clawing for respect; to his early days in lonely Montreal; to his legendary run with the Red Sox when, start after start, he dazzled with his pitching genius; to his twilight years on the mound as he put the finishing touches on a body of work that made him an icon, this memoir by one of baseball’s most enigmatic figures will entertain and inspire generations of fans to come.
“This is the beauty of this book, the machinations of a modern pitcher's mind . . . Knowing and gritty, this memoir should’ve been printed on rawhide.”— Los Angeles Times
“ Pedro the book is as smart, as funny, and as diva-esque as Pedro the pitcher . . . Buy the book. Read the book. Celebrate a golden era in Boston baseball.” — Boston Globe
“There is little the eight-time All-Star holds back about any subject as he offers a revealing look at a colorful career . . . The intimate details Martinez offers up from both inside and outside the clubhouse make the book a winner.”— Washington Post
Pedro Martinez entered the big leagues a scrawny power pitcher with a lightning arm who they said wasn’t “durable” enough, who they said was a punk. Yet Martinez willed himself to become one of the most intimidating pitchers to have ever played the game, an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, World Series champion, and Hall of Famer.
In Pedro , the always colorful pitcher opens up to tell his remarkable story. From his days in the minor leagues clawing for respect; to his early days in lonely Montreal; to his legendary run with the Red Sox when, start after start, he dazzled with his pitching genius; to his twilight years on the mound as he put the finishing touches on a body of work that made him an icon, this memoir by one of baseball’s most enigmatic figures will entertain and inspire generations of fans to come.
“This is the beauty of this book, the machinations of a modern pitcher's mind . . . Knowing and gritty, this memoir should’ve been printed on rawhide.”— Los Angeles Times
368 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2015
71 people are currently reading
549 people want to read
About the author
Pedro Martinez
66 books3 followersPedro Jaime Martínez (born October 25, 1971) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1992 to 2009, for five teams—most notably the Boston Red Sox from 1998 to 2004.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
May 20, 2015
About 12 years ago, I wrote an essay about how I lived in a near-constant state of panic that Pedro Martinez would get injured. You can't read this essay, because it exists solely in the literary journal about baseball pitching that I published exactly once. It's not online, and it never will be. I wrote it during a time when I was feeling especially fragile. I was trying to figure out where I was going and what kind of person I was going to be. I had just started dating the person who I'd eventually marry. I'd just settled into my first serious job which would eventually turn into a career, against all odds.
And all the sports teams I loved were star-crossed. The only two teams I really follow anymore -- the Syracuse Orange basketball team and the Boston Red Sox -- both had been mediocre for awhile. They'd both had tragic failures in the mid 80s. I didn't have a whole lot of hope. But Pedro gave me something to get excited about. Pedro started to turn it all around.
The Red Sox traded for Pedro Martinez when I was still in college. By the time I'd moved to Los Angeles and started my official adulthood (ha!), he had established himself as the greatest right-handed pitcher of his generation--historically dominant and a superstar personality, to boot. But by the time I wrote my essay in late 02 early 03, he'd injured his shoulder, and it looked like he was bound to be one of those near misses that Sox fans had come to dread.
I remember going over to my friend's house to work on the literary journal. She was publishing it with me (and really doing most of the work on it, laying it out, etc.). We'd agreed that we'd work through the night to meet some deadline that we'd decided was very important. While we were working, I watched Carmelo Anthony lead my beloved Cuse to their first and only National Championship. I credit Pedro with just a little bit of that magic.
Later that year, he pitched what should have been the winning game in game 7 of the ALCS. It wasn't, and I had to wait another year before the Sox would redeem themselves. And even though Curt Schilling and David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez probably played bigger roles in that '04 season, it was Pedro that really started it all.
So what did I think of this book? Well, first, it didn't make me love Pedro Martinez any less. He came across more or less as I expected him to -- fiery, funny as hell, a little melodramatic, sensitive, super smart. Pedro didn't pull any punches with this. Guys he didn't get along with -- from Tommy Lasorda to Joe Kerrigan to Jeff Wilpon -- get called out. And there are more than a few hints that guys he competed with or against were on steroids.
But what was best about this book were the little behind-the-scenes details. Finally, we get a real accounting of what was going on between Pedro and Grady Little during that game in '03. And we get Pedro talking to Manny Ramirez, which is, in and of itself, worth any price ("Hey Pedro, did you know that I have three midgets in my brain that are constantly talking to me?", "Hey Pedro, did you know there are guys on their way up to the moon right now?"). And the chapter on how Pedro pitched and prepared is a master class. Anybody interested in pitching will absolutely love that.
I do agree with what others have written -- that the book feels a little too polished, that it sometimes doesn't feel like Pedro's specific voice -- but for me, it was Pedro enough. I recommend it to baseball fans, fans of the Red Sox, the Expos, Dodger haters everywhere, and anyone interested in pitching.
Of course, what do I know? I probably would have paid $24.99 for a list of the various hair products Pedro used on his Jheri curl. So, you know, I might be biased.
And all the sports teams I loved were star-crossed. The only two teams I really follow anymore -- the Syracuse Orange basketball team and the Boston Red Sox -- both had been mediocre for awhile. They'd both had tragic failures in the mid 80s. I didn't have a whole lot of hope. But Pedro gave me something to get excited about. Pedro started to turn it all around.
The Red Sox traded for Pedro Martinez when I was still in college. By the time I'd moved to Los Angeles and started my official adulthood (ha!), he had established himself as the greatest right-handed pitcher of his generation--historically dominant and a superstar personality, to boot. But by the time I wrote my essay in late 02 early 03, he'd injured his shoulder, and it looked like he was bound to be one of those near misses that Sox fans had come to dread.
I remember going over to my friend's house to work on the literary journal. She was publishing it with me (and really doing most of the work on it, laying it out, etc.). We'd agreed that we'd work through the night to meet some deadline that we'd decided was very important. While we were working, I watched Carmelo Anthony lead my beloved Cuse to their first and only National Championship. I credit Pedro with just a little bit of that magic.
Later that year, he pitched what should have been the winning game in game 7 of the ALCS. It wasn't, and I had to wait another year before the Sox would redeem themselves. And even though Curt Schilling and David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez probably played bigger roles in that '04 season, it was Pedro that really started it all.
So what did I think of this book? Well, first, it didn't make me love Pedro Martinez any less. He came across more or less as I expected him to -- fiery, funny as hell, a little melodramatic, sensitive, super smart. Pedro didn't pull any punches with this. Guys he didn't get along with -- from Tommy Lasorda to Joe Kerrigan to Jeff Wilpon -- get called out. And there are more than a few hints that guys he competed with or against were on steroids.
But what was best about this book were the little behind-the-scenes details. Finally, we get a real accounting of what was going on between Pedro and Grady Little during that game in '03. And we get Pedro talking to Manny Ramirez, which is, in and of itself, worth any price ("Hey Pedro, did you know that I have three midgets in my brain that are constantly talking to me?", "Hey Pedro, did you know there are guys on their way up to the moon right now?"). And the chapter on how Pedro pitched and prepared is a master class. Anybody interested in pitching will absolutely love that.
I do agree with what others have written -- that the book feels a little too polished, that it sometimes doesn't feel like Pedro's specific voice -- but for me, it was Pedro enough. I recommend it to baseball fans, fans of the Red Sox, the Expos, Dodger haters everywhere, and anyone interested in pitching.
Of course, what do I know? I probably would have paid $24.99 for a list of the various hair products Pedro used on his Jheri curl. So, you know, I might be biased.
August 26, 2023
An enjoyable autobiography of a complex man, this also contains a lot of baseball, some humor and some humility. The hall of famer also makes a good point about racism among baseball journalists.
I should state from the outset that I am a Red Sox fan, and closely watched much of the 2004 season. That said, most books by players (and their writer friends) are pretty bad. Clemens book was horrible. This book, grudges and all, is much better reading than most.
A good thing about reading books by players now is that the internet often has key games ready to be watched. As I sat down to watch the August 29 2000 Tampa Bay game, start of so much rivalry, I remembered much of it. I was surprised to see the no hitter taken into the 9th. In all the events of the day, this moment of Pedro greatness must have slipped my mind.
Props to author Michael Silverman as well.
I should state from the outset that I am a Red Sox fan, and closely watched much of the 2004 season. That said, most books by players (and their writer friends) are pretty bad. Clemens book was horrible. This book, grudges and all, is much better reading than most.
A good thing about reading books by players now is that the internet often has key games ready to be watched. As I sat down to watch the August 29 2000 Tampa Bay game, start of so much rivalry, I remembered much of it. I was surprised to see the no hitter taken into the 9th. In all the events of the day, this moment of Pedro greatness must have slipped my mind.
Props to author Michael Silverman as well.
October 26, 2015
This was my Boston to North Carolina audio book. Good length for an 11 hour drive. I love Pedro and he is my favorite Red Sox player of my adult life as a fan, so listening to this didn't make me change my mind about him. But I could see how a non-Sox fan might get irritated with Pedro. He uses this book to talk about his grudges a lot. And the man can seriously hold a grudge - he hates the Dodgers, Mike Piazza, Joe Kerrigan (he really hates Kerrigan), the Reds and Cincinnati in general, the two guys who left him off the ballot for MVP in '99, and he's clearly irritated that he didn't win another Cy Young or two. And really, he's still mad at the Dodgers? I mean, he was like 23 and he became a star in Montreal. The trade looks bad in retrospect, but at the time it wasn't a bad trade.
I hadn't forgotten about Pedro's brother Ramon, because they were both on the Sox in the late 90s, but I never knew how great he was early in his career. I mean, the guy was an All-Star, had a 20 win season, pitched a no-hitter...Pedro is still mad that early in his career everyone called him "Ramon's little brother," but he wasn't a star yet. Anyway, what a pair of brothers! Got to be one of the best brother tandems in baseball history.
Loved all the detail about pitching inside, and when he did or didn't hit people on purpose. (Pedro hit a lot of people on purpose). Great stuff. And all the stories about goofy naked antics in the clubhouse. And the weird Manny Ramirez booze/viagra potion during the '04 playoffs. Reminded me of "Ball Four" and 'The Bronx Zoo." I'm glad wacky clubhouse antics never seem to change.
I miss you Pedro. That '98-'04 Sox era was a great ride.
I hadn't forgotten about Pedro's brother Ramon, because they were both on the Sox in the late 90s, but I never knew how great he was early in his career. I mean, the guy was an All-Star, had a 20 win season, pitched a no-hitter...Pedro is still mad that early in his career everyone called him "Ramon's little brother," but he wasn't a star yet. Anyway, what a pair of brothers! Got to be one of the best brother tandems in baseball history.
Loved all the detail about pitching inside, and when he did or didn't hit people on purpose. (Pedro hit a lot of people on purpose). Great stuff. And all the stories about goofy naked antics in the clubhouse. And the weird Manny Ramirez booze/viagra potion during the '04 playoffs. Reminded me of "Ball Four" and 'The Bronx Zoo." I'm glad wacky clubhouse antics never seem to change.
I miss you Pedro. That '98-'04 Sox era was a great ride.
July 10, 2015
Honest and entertaining.
This was a book I enjoyed reading from beginning to end. It was insightful in some parts and very funny in others. With the help of Michael Silverman, Pedro revels himself as a smart, cranky, nature's freak with a strong sense of family values and unequal drive to success.
The journey from poverty, the physical limitations, the endless need to perform are only some of the realities many baseball players from the DR share. The triumph of Pedro meant that he conquered over his destiny my willing his way to success in the challenging worlds minor and major league baseball.
Growing up in the DR I remember how the entire country came to a complete focus for every Pedro start. Specially from 1998 to 2001. It seemed like everybody wanted to witness (in the distance) Pedro's every pitch. We always expected a no-hitter or a 17 strike out performances (like his record setting start against the Yankees). He never accomplished the former nor repeated the latter but somehow never disappointed. It was masterpiece after masterpiece.
During those times I always wondered what was in Pedro's mind? What was going on in his life? How difficult or easy he had it? Was he happy? Sad? Mindful of the moment or aloof? Purposely hitting batters or not? etc...
Well, I got every answer in this book and then some. I'm glad this book came about.
As it turned out, Pedro was a high performing athlete with mortal's day to day challenges. At times he behaved like a prima-donna, at times like a little kid but for the most part he behaved like someone getting far more attention than he needed.
Greatness has a complex pricing structure. There's the price family and friends have to pay which, in part, means sharing their loved ones with the rest of the world. Families are also refuge, the fortress of solitude to most athletes. Because of that they are also receivers of all of the decompression heat at the end of the work day.
Of course, there's a price the athletes have to pay too. They are constantly judged and required to role model the entire U18 population, among other things. When you are performing at a high level is all good. When you are not...hell! Extending Pat Riley's quote to all sports: In sports there is winning and there is misery!
Then there's the price for the media. Journalists write about sports and extend their access to athletes to the general public. In the process, they expect to receive equal deference from single A prospect and MLB superstars. Expectedly that is not the case. Super athletes, Pedro among them, mistreat the media more than they should, that's for sure. For the journalist at the short end of that deal it must be frustrating indeed. That's the price to pay and sadly Pedro didn't give away discounts.
During his playing days Pedro was a high performer. He was a good son to his parents and a good brother to his siblings. Fame amplified that. Fame also made him inaccessible and petulant. That's how he was equipped to deal with his situation. I believe the balance was generally positive. They people in the Half of Fame agreed.
Nice quotes from the book:
Pre-game prayer -
"In your hands, I lay my spirit. Keep me healthy, and I shall do the rest."
Heart of a lion -
"I'm already rich. I don't care. I'm not playing for money. When I go up there, it's my heart, it's my name, it's my country, it's my pride, it's my team."
Qualifications: I'm Dominican, baseball fan, Pedro follower and sports crazy!
This was a book I enjoyed reading from beginning to end. It was insightful in some parts and very funny in others. With the help of Michael Silverman, Pedro revels himself as a smart, cranky, nature's freak with a strong sense of family values and unequal drive to success.
The journey from poverty, the physical limitations, the endless need to perform are only some of the realities many baseball players from the DR share. The triumph of Pedro meant that he conquered over his destiny my willing his way to success in the challenging worlds minor and major league baseball.
Growing up in the DR I remember how the entire country came to a complete focus for every Pedro start. Specially from 1998 to 2001. It seemed like everybody wanted to witness (in the distance) Pedro's every pitch. We always expected a no-hitter or a 17 strike out performances (like his record setting start against the Yankees). He never accomplished the former nor repeated the latter but somehow never disappointed. It was masterpiece after masterpiece.
During those times I always wondered what was in Pedro's mind? What was going on in his life? How difficult or easy he had it? Was he happy? Sad? Mindful of the moment or aloof? Purposely hitting batters or not? etc...
Well, I got every answer in this book and then some. I'm glad this book came about.
As it turned out, Pedro was a high performing athlete with mortal's day to day challenges. At times he behaved like a prima-donna, at times like a little kid but for the most part he behaved like someone getting far more attention than he needed.
Greatness has a complex pricing structure. There's the price family and friends have to pay which, in part, means sharing their loved ones with the rest of the world. Families are also refuge, the fortress of solitude to most athletes. Because of that they are also receivers of all of the decompression heat at the end of the work day.
Of course, there's a price the athletes have to pay too. They are constantly judged and required to role model the entire U18 population, among other things. When you are performing at a high level is all good. When you are not...hell! Extending Pat Riley's quote to all sports: In sports there is winning and there is misery!
Then there's the price for the media. Journalists write about sports and extend their access to athletes to the general public. In the process, they expect to receive equal deference from single A prospect and MLB superstars. Expectedly that is not the case. Super athletes, Pedro among them, mistreat the media more than they should, that's for sure. For the journalist at the short end of that deal it must be frustrating indeed. That's the price to pay and sadly Pedro didn't give away discounts.
During his playing days Pedro was a high performer. He was a good son to his parents and a good brother to his siblings. Fame amplified that. Fame also made him inaccessible and petulant. That's how he was equipped to deal with his situation. I believe the balance was generally positive. They people in the Half of Fame agreed.
Nice quotes from the book:
Pre-game prayer -
"In your hands, I lay my spirit. Keep me healthy, and I shall do the rest."
Heart of a lion -
"I'm already rich. I don't care. I'm not playing for money. When I go up there, it's my heart, it's my name, it's my country, it's my pride, it's my team."
Qualifications: I'm Dominican, baseball fan, Pedro follower and sports crazy!
October 4, 2015
Did I think it was possible to love Pedro Martinez more than I already do? No. Did I think it would take me more than a month to read this book? No. And yet...
This buenísima book so overwhelmed me I couldn't take more than a few pages at a time. Every tear, every fierce comment, every proud moment or cocky perspective made me adore and respect this man even more than I already did. He is honest and has is reasons for things, even if he is sometimes proud or stubborn to a fault. He explains away some of the things people questioned him for, and he remains fiercely true to himself. I will probably hold onto this book forever and read parts of it over and over.
I thought there would be a lot more tell-all here. More inside the clubhouse, crazy fun times with Manny, etc. But it wasn't, and that may have worked to the books advantage. Pedro (and Michael Silverman) trusts his readers' intelligence, and delves into pitching mechanics without making it boring, drawn out, or over-detailed.
I've read a few reviews criticizing the lack of Pedro's voice. I don't understand this complaint; I could hear most of the book as if he was talking.
From a literary perspective, not the best thing I've ever read. For a Pedro Martinez fan, however, it's a real treat.
This buenísima book so overwhelmed me I couldn't take more than a few pages at a time. Every tear, every fierce comment, every proud moment or cocky perspective made me adore and respect this man even more than I already did. He is honest and has is reasons for things, even if he is sometimes proud or stubborn to a fault. He explains away some of the things people questioned him for, and he remains fiercely true to himself. I will probably hold onto this book forever and read parts of it over and over.
I thought there would be a lot more tell-all here. More inside the clubhouse, crazy fun times with Manny, etc. But it wasn't, and that may have worked to the books advantage. Pedro (and Michael Silverman) trusts his readers' intelligence, and delves into pitching mechanics without making it boring, drawn out, or over-detailed.
I've read a few reviews criticizing the lack of Pedro's voice. I don't understand this complaint; I could hear most of the book as if he was talking.
From a literary perspective, not the best thing I've ever read. For a Pedro Martinez fan, however, it's a real treat.
April 30, 2021
Torn on this book, if I love it or I'm just "meh" about it. I love Pedro and what he did for my team (Sox), so reading this was a no brainer. I absolutely loved hearing all of his stories from being a child and up through retirement. Sometimes it seems like he wanted to just b!t(h, but he really wanted to give his side of the story too. I agreed with lots of the things he said, and I absolutely loved the way he approached the game. Congrats on the great career, and I will recommend this to any baseball fan.
February 9, 2021
Absolutely phenomenal, growing up as a Yankee fan I used to be in complete amazement when Pedro took the hill. This book unveils his personal relationship with his former managers and his distain for a lot of the baseball media. You learn a lot about Pedro Martinez and how he had become one of the greatest pitchers to ever play the game. This book has a lot of humor, a lot of memorable quotes and some of the craziest stories that were never leaked out to the press. This was a fantastic piece of work.
August 29, 2015
Why must such pitching greatness be coated in such an egomaniacal shell?
There's no doubt Pedro was one of the best to ever step on the pitcher's mound. Reading about his 17 strikeout game against the Yankees and that brilliant relief appearance against Cleveland in the playoffs brought back great memories. But listening to him humble-brag, deflect blame, and flat out lie was tiresome. I will give him credit for working his ass off to make himself a Hall of Famer, but if I hear him speak about feeling disrespected one more time, I'm going to scream.
Sigh.
Therein lies the rub: would a Pedro without the annoying diva tendencies be a Pedro that made the Hall of Fame? I honestly don't think so. I've read a few biographies about such high maintenance savants and they are simply different beasts. By the time this story reached 2005, I was feeling exactly the same exhaustion with the act as I did in real life.
Pedro Martinez was undeniably one of the greatest pitchers of not just his era but baseball history. It's also undeniable that he wouldn't be someone I would get along with if we met. We're just wired differently. I can't pitch like him nor can I see slights at every corner. All that said, if you're a Sox fan and loved watching him in his prime (was there ever a better 2 year run than 1999-2000?) you should definitely muddle through this book.
There's no doubt Pedro was one of the best to ever step on the pitcher's mound. Reading about his 17 strikeout game against the Yankees and that brilliant relief appearance against Cleveland in the playoffs brought back great memories. But listening to him humble-brag, deflect blame, and flat out lie was tiresome. I will give him credit for working his ass off to make himself a Hall of Famer, but if I hear him speak about feeling disrespected one more time, I'm going to scream.
Sigh.
Therein lies the rub: would a Pedro without the annoying diva tendencies be a Pedro that made the Hall of Fame? I honestly don't think so. I've read a few biographies about such high maintenance savants and they are simply different beasts. By the time this story reached 2005, I was feeling exactly the same exhaustion with the act as I did in real life.
Pedro Martinez was undeniably one of the greatest pitchers of not just his era but baseball history. It's also undeniable that he wouldn't be someone I would get along with if we met. We're just wired differently. I can't pitch like him nor can I see slights at every corner. All that said, if you're a Sox fan and loved watching him in his prime (was there ever a better 2 year run than 1999-2000?) you should definitely muddle through this book.
August 11, 2015
(Audio). Unless you are a diehard rabid Red Sox fan this book hardly rates more than two stars--and next to my beloved Tigers I probably like the Red Sox the most. Martinez comes off as a self-absorbed arrogant character you always fear modern great sport 'heros' have become. He plainly was out for himself. From humble beginnings you would think he would have been more humble but when he doesn't get his way in the minors he cries. When he doesn't get the contract he thinks he deserves he sulks. He claims as a pitcher he 'owns' the inside part of the plate with total disregard of the fact that the batter too is out there trying to "make a living for his family" and prove his prowess. Martinez only becomes "human" in this book towards the end when he's in the twilight of his career following the 2004 World Series run and his father is dying. Howevever, by that point I hadn't garnered much respect--if any-- for him and it was hard to feel much sympathy. Yeah, he's a Hall of Famer but I wouldn't waste my time looking for his plaque the next time I get to Cooperstown.
May 7, 2015
Classic example of a book that made me wish for half-stars. On the one hand, there were too many times where I just didn't feel that I was reading a book in Pedro Martinez's voice. On the other, it's an exceptionally well-written book. So I'm borderline, 3 or 4 stars. Going with 4 because there's a lot to chew on, but I could have used a bit less of the ghostwriter and many fewer contemporary quotes, which seem like they belong in a different book (i.e. an actual biography rather than a memoir).
September 11, 2015
I'm a high school student that hates reading, but i could read this over and over again. I found it so interesting that someone who literally came from nothing became one of the most dominant pitchers in the MLB of all time. Pedro Martenez talks about how his early life, how he landed himself in the hall of fame, all his hard work and his career as a baseball player. This is a great book that any aspiring baseball player or anyone who just loves the game should read. Pedro chanced how I look at life; Work hard and never give up because you never know where that will take you.
May 13, 2015
One bonus star because he's my favorite player. Sadly, the story's that of a not-very-introspective guy with a massive chip on his shoulder, and all the people that disrespected him. He's always come across as an intelligent, fiercely competitive man, but the latter is almost all that comes across. Two stars, really.
February 19, 2016
Wow. Such a hot headed, stubborn, over sensitive man with a violent streak who sure can hold a grudge and apparently liked to roam around the clubhouse naked. We get it, he didn't use steroids. At least he gave us some good years in Boston.
October 4, 2015
What a fun book. Viva Pedro.
February 8, 2022
One of the better baseball autobiographies. Highly recommend if you are missing the sport.
November 11, 2017
Better-written than usual for this type of book, Pedro nonetheless continues a string of multi-millionaires complaining of lack of respect and then throwing their teammates and colleagues under the bus. Mike Napoli, for example, may wake up one morning, read a page of this, and wonder WTF?
It is well-written and it has a better narrative flow than is usual for the genre. Michael Silverman has created a structure of Pedro's voice, narrative voice (certainly not Pedro's), author voice (same) and then enmeshes direct quotes from others, like you're reading a screenplay of a documentary. It doesn't sound like it works (and, sporadically, it doesn't), but overall it does work and you read on.
You get the childhood background, but without the grittiness that you think the self-proclaimed poverty would demand. It's smoothed over when maybe it shouldn't have been, but then this isn't really a documentary, it just sounds like one. You get the beginning, with the Dodgers, then the other teams: the Expos, the Red Sox, the Mets and the Phillies. (Did you remember that Pedro's last start was in the 2009 World Series against the Yanks? I did, but it seemed surreal, then and now.) You get the typical beef about the management: the Dodgers and Sox especially.
And this is the first of two things that made me rate this a three rather than a four: it's hypocritical about two things, so glaring you wonder they weren't amended. The first: Every Sox fan knows Pedro's last game was Game 4 of the 2004 World Series. Immediately he let it be known that he wanted a 3-4 year contract, and the Sox wanted to give him the shortest one possible, a year, or two, at most. That was known before the season ended and for as long as it took for him to get a guaranteed 3-4 year deal with the Mets. And it was also known that his shoulder and arm were frayed. More time on the DL; more injuries; more babying at the end...All of this was known. And it was just as well-known that the Sox were right: Pedro had one good year left for the Mets, and then the rest of that contract he mostly spent on the DL. If the Sox had given him a 3-4 year deal, they were going to eat 2-3 years of it. They said that out loud, and they were right. If you were Sox ownership, do you make that deal? The Mets did, as they candidly said, because they had a newer ballpark and the fan base was dwindling, and they had to bring in a name.
The hypocritical part is that this book whines about a lack of respect from the Sox about all this--and then shows in following chapters that they were right! He acknowledges he lasted just one more good season (a very good 2005) and then had one injury after another. The 2009 season with Philadelphia was a half-season for him--he was 5-1 and basically started in September. The rest of the year he was the same place as the previous three--on and off (mostly on) the DL. He narrates all this without saying the Sox were right, but clearly shows in his narration that the Sox were right. He calls it a lack of respect that the Sox weren't willing to give him a long guaranteed contract and then eat 75%-80% of it. But of course that's not what businesses do. And the casual fan could see his physical regression in 2003 and 2004. It was obvious. I wouldn't have given him that contract, either. (He's made hundreds of millions from baseball and endorsements, so don't feel bad for him.)
The other blatant example of hypocrisy is how he states all book long that he was misunderstood, that he was mislabeled, that he didn't throw at batters intentionally, that he wasn't a headhunter--and then, often in the same sentence or paragraph, admits that he hit someone on purpose, and that he often told the player he would do so, and then does it. He threatened players verbally with it all the time, then hit the player--and then says he's misunderstood, that he's not a headhunter. This is so obvious in the book that you shake your head.
But, again, that's what these books do, right? They complain about money, about disrespect, about how the media screws them, all that same stuff all the time. It makes you yearn for another Ball Four, and to truly appreciate how direct and honest it was. Say what you want about Bouton, but he was well aware of how not a God he was, about how lucky he was to do what he did and to make the money he did, and he had actual thoughts to say, and didn't complain too much about management or anything else. Yes, he was traded for Dooley Womack, but he never says he shouldn't have been.
It is well-written and it has a better narrative flow than is usual for the genre. Michael Silverman has created a structure of Pedro's voice, narrative voice (certainly not Pedro's), author voice (same) and then enmeshes direct quotes from others, like you're reading a screenplay of a documentary. It doesn't sound like it works (and, sporadically, it doesn't), but overall it does work and you read on.
You get the childhood background, but without the grittiness that you think the self-proclaimed poverty would demand. It's smoothed over when maybe it shouldn't have been, but then this isn't really a documentary, it just sounds like one. You get the beginning, with the Dodgers, then the other teams: the Expos, the Red Sox, the Mets and the Phillies. (Did you remember that Pedro's last start was in the 2009 World Series against the Yanks? I did, but it seemed surreal, then and now.) You get the typical beef about the management: the Dodgers and Sox especially.
And this is the first of two things that made me rate this a three rather than a four: it's hypocritical about two things, so glaring you wonder they weren't amended. The first: Every Sox fan knows Pedro's last game was Game 4 of the 2004 World Series. Immediately he let it be known that he wanted a 3-4 year contract, and the Sox wanted to give him the shortest one possible, a year, or two, at most. That was known before the season ended and for as long as it took for him to get a guaranteed 3-4 year deal with the Mets. And it was also known that his shoulder and arm were frayed. More time on the DL; more injuries; more babying at the end...All of this was known. And it was just as well-known that the Sox were right: Pedro had one good year left for the Mets, and then the rest of that contract he mostly spent on the DL. If the Sox had given him a 3-4 year deal, they were going to eat 2-3 years of it. They said that out loud, and they were right. If you were Sox ownership, do you make that deal? The Mets did, as they candidly said, because they had a newer ballpark and the fan base was dwindling, and they had to bring in a name.
The hypocritical part is that this book whines about a lack of respect from the Sox about all this--and then shows in following chapters that they were right! He acknowledges he lasted just one more good season (a very good 2005) and then had one injury after another. The 2009 season with Philadelphia was a half-season for him--he was 5-1 and basically started in September. The rest of the year he was the same place as the previous three--on and off (mostly on) the DL. He narrates all this without saying the Sox were right, but clearly shows in his narration that the Sox were right. He calls it a lack of respect that the Sox weren't willing to give him a long guaranteed contract and then eat 75%-80% of it. But of course that's not what businesses do. And the casual fan could see his physical regression in 2003 and 2004. It was obvious. I wouldn't have given him that contract, either. (He's made hundreds of millions from baseball and endorsements, so don't feel bad for him.)
The other blatant example of hypocrisy is how he states all book long that he was misunderstood, that he was mislabeled, that he didn't throw at batters intentionally, that he wasn't a headhunter--and then, often in the same sentence or paragraph, admits that he hit someone on purpose, and that he often told the player he would do so, and then does it. He threatened players verbally with it all the time, then hit the player--and then says he's misunderstood, that he's not a headhunter. This is so obvious in the book that you shake your head.
But, again, that's what these books do, right? They complain about money, about disrespect, about how the media screws them, all that same stuff all the time. It makes you yearn for another Ball Four, and to truly appreciate how direct and honest it was. Say what you want about Bouton, but he was well aware of how not a God he was, about how lucky he was to do what he did and to make the money he did, and he had actual thoughts to say, and didn't complain too much about management or anything else. Yes, he was traded for Dooley Womack, but he never says he shouldn't have been.
December 20, 2020
A complicated package, this man named Pedro Martinez.
He's part great athlete, part artist, part personality, part angry young man. There's no male equivalent for the word diva, but that would be Pedro - a brilliant talent who always had a little extra baggage surrounding him. He just pitched for a living and instead of singing at the Metropolitan Opera.
The various aspects of Martinez's personality are very much on display in his autobiography, "Pedro." That's what makes the book so interesting. It's hard to look away, even in retirement.
Pedro came out of the Dominican Republic to play baseball, following in the footsteps of brother Ramon. He was the little brother in age as well as size, and always was a little underestimated by scouts along the way. You can understand where that first chip on the shoulder came from. However, as one scout put it, he had a heart as big as a lion, and that gave him the chance to shine at the sport's highest level.
That's not to say that Pedro ever forgot a slight. This book is evidence of that. He felt he didn't get a fair shot with the Dodgers, who traded him to the Expos for a player (Delino DeShields) whose career fell apart in no time at all. The deal is considered one of the worst in Dodger history. Martinez got a chance to be a starter in Montreal, and thrived. By 1997, Martinez was the National League Cy Young winner (18-6 record, 1.74 ERA), and it was obvious to everyone that the financially struggling Expos couldn't afford to keep him.
Pedro went off to Boston in a trade at that point, but he wasn't happy about it. Martinez wanted to cash in on his status as an elite pitcher. Then the Red Sox offered to make him the highest paid pitcher in baseball, and Pedro didn't need to go anywhere. Instead, he put together a couple of the greatest seasons in pitching history. Martinez was beyond brilliant in 1999 and 2000; he didn't play baseball, he put on performances. All of that was done while he was spending some time ignoring and/or hating his pitching coach, Joe Kerrigan, which is at best unusual.
Martinez always found a way to fuel his emotions. Get booed in Boston because of a rare poor outing? He wasn't going to do the fans any favors after that. Opposing players do something wrong in Pedro's eyes? Here comes a fastball at your back, pal. Indeed, he was involved in a lot of incidents over the years, and Pedro seems to remember every detail. Martinez's best-known incident might have been in the time in the 2003 playoffs when Yankees coach Don Zimmer came charging after him in a brawl between the teams, and Martinez gave him a little push - leading to the sight of a 72-year-old man tumbling to the ground. No one looked too good at that moment.
Martinez also had stretches where he became sick of the media for one reason or another and stopped talking to reporters. Those Yankee-Red Sox rivalries were overheated times all the way around, and Pedro's reaction here is at least understandable. Martinez, naturally, reviews the loss to the Yankees in Game Seven in 2003 - taking the blame instead of passing it to manager Grady Little for leaving him in too long - and revels in the World Series championship Boston won a year later.
By then, Martinez's skills had started to diminish, thanks in part to injuries. He wasn't the biggest of men, and he put a lot of abuse on that body over the years. Pedro went to the Mets as a free agent, where he eventually broke down physically. Martinez at least got to leave baseball from a big stage, as he pitched his final game in the 2009 World Series in Yankee Stadium. He's in the Hall of Fame this summer.
This book works quite well because Martinez is quite honest in his recap of his life to date. It's sort of like him throwing a fastball in his prime - here it is, see if you are good enough to handle it. English may have been a second language for Pedro, but he comes across very well and articulate here. Co-author Michael Silverman also interviewed several people from Pedro's life, and their quotes provide some good perspective about what was going on at a specific time. By the way, there are a few typos of names along the way; let's hope they are fixed for the paperback edition.
Your opinion of Pedro Martinez after reading "Pedro" probably won't change much. The talent was overwhelming, the personality was never boring. All he asks that you accept him on his terms, and that seems like a fair bargain.
He's part great athlete, part artist, part personality, part angry young man. There's no male equivalent for the word diva, but that would be Pedro - a brilliant talent who always had a little extra baggage surrounding him. He just pitched for a living and instead of singing at the Metropolitan Opera.
The various aspects of Martinez's personality are very much on display in his autobiography, "Pedro." That's what makes the book so interesting. It's hard to look away, even in retirement.
Pedro came out of the Dominican Republic to play baseball, following in the footsteps of brother Ramon. He was the little brother in age as well as size, and always was a little underestimated by scouts along the way. You can understand where that first chip on the shoulder came from. However, as one scout put it, he had a heart as big as a lion, and that gave him the chance to shine at the sport's highest level.
That's not to say that Pedro ever forgot a slight. This book is evidence of that. He felt he didn't get a fair shot with the Dodgers, who traded him to the Expos for a player (Delino DeShields) whose career fell apart in no time at all. The deal is considered one of the worst in Dodger history. Martinez got a chance to be a starter in Montreal, and thrived. By 1997, Martinez was the National League Cy Young winner (18-6 record, 1.74 ERA), and it was obvious to everyone that the financially struggling Expos couldn't afford to keep him.
Pedro went off to Boston in a trade at that point, but he wasn't happy about it. Martinez wanted to cash in on his status as an elite pitcher. Then the Red Sox offered to make him the highest paid pitcher in baseball, and Pedro didn't need to go anywhere. Instead, he put together a couple of the greatest seasons in pitching history. Martinez was beyond brilliant in 1999 and 2000; he didn't play baseball, he put on performances. All of that was done while he was spending some time ignoring and/or hating his pitching coach, Joe Kerrigan, which is at best unusual.
Martinez always found a way to fuel his emotions. Get booed in Boston because of a rare poor outing? He wasn't going to do the fans any favors after that. Opposing players do something wrong in Pedro's eyes? Here comes a fastball at your back, pal. Indeed, he was involved in a lot of incidents over the years, and Pedro seems to remember every detail. Martinez's best-known incident might have been in the time in the 2003 playoffs when Yankees coach Don Zimmer came charging after him in a brawl between the teams, and Martinez gave him a little push - leading to the sight of a 72-year-old man tumbling to the ground. No one looked too good at that moment.
Martinez also had stretches where he became sick of the media for one reason or another and stopped talking to reporters. Those Yankee-Red Sox rivalries were overheated times all the way around, and Pedro's reaction here is at least understandable. Martinez, naturally, reviews the loss to the Yankees in Game Seven in 2003 - taking the blame instead of passing it to manager Grady Little for leaving him in too long - and revels in the World Series championship Boston won a year later.
By then, Martinez's skills had started to diminish, thanks in part to injuries. He wasn't the biggest of men, and he put a lot of abuse on that body over the years. Pedro went to the Mets as a free agent, where he eventually broke down physically. Martinez at least got to leave baseball from a big stage, as he pitched his final game in the 2009 World Series in Yankee Stadium. He's in the Hall of Fame this summer.
This book works quite well because Martinez is quite honest in his recap of his life to date. It's sort of like him throwing a fastball in his prime - here it is, see if you are good enough to handle it. English may have been a second language for Pedro, but he comes across very well and articulate here. Co-author Michael Silverman also interviewed several people from Pedro's life, and their quotes provide some good perspective about what was going on at a specific time. By the way, there are a few typos of names along the way; let's hope they are fixed for the paperback edition.
Your opinion of Pedro Martinez after reading "Pedro" probably won't change much. The talent was overwhelming, the personality was never boring. All he asks that you accept him on his terms, and that seems like a fair bargain.
April 10, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “EVEN IN AN OLD-TIMERS’ GAME, I’M GOING TO HIT YOU IF I SEE YOU”
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I’ve been a fan of Pedro’s from the time he was a rookie with the Dodgers and even then it was no secret that they thought he was too small to hold up physically for even a short career. The trade they made sending Pedro to Montreal for Delino DeShields will forever stand as one of the worst trades in history. Reading this book for a true baseball fan… let alone… a Pedro fan… is a real up-and-down experience as far as enjoyment. While on one hand there’s a lot of inside info regarding other players and executives… there’s also an awful lot… “strike that”… waaay toooo much crying and complaining from Pedro… on every segment of his career.
I get the point… and appreciate… the fact… that since he was smaller he had to work harder… and it’s the perfect slight… to fuel what I personally call “positive-hate”… and that “positive-hate”… will make you continually go the extra mile in everything you do… in order to prove your doubters wrong. But… Pedro literally cries… and complains… and sees… untold conspiracies against him… with literally every blink of an eye. The Dodger managers were against him… the Dodger coaches and players were against him… the minor league executives… managers… and his very teammates… were against him. The same conspiracies were against him in Montreal and Boston. Pitching coaches… tormented him. For a reader it becomes tedious… while you are getting enjoyment from an insider’s look at games and famous players… to have this “woe-is-me” crop up more than a bad penny. Pedro goes into great detail how many more Cy Young’s he should have won… if certain sportswriters weren’t against him.
I feel bad about these next comments… because I love fiery players… and when I played… I played with an unbridled passion… but my Lord… how many times can you knock tables over because the world’s against you every which way you turn?
When it comes to pitching inside on a batter… and the questions and insinuations fly regarding purposely hitting batters… and his answers… and thoughts… contradict each other constantly. Suffice to say… if there truly is no crying in baseball… Pedro couldn’t have written this book. One of the more interesting parts of this saga is Martinez’s experience and take on the invasion of steroids during his career. And to his credit… he isn’t afraid to list names and their acne problems.
One trait that I really enjoy in a good autobiography… is when it’s written in such a way… that you truly feel like the subject/author is actually there talking to you… the exact way he or she would talk to you if you were having a beer together. That is certainly not the case here. Let me share a couple of sentences with you... and you tell me if that makes you feel as if it is really the everyday Pedro talking to you:
“I gathered as many smooth and flat stones as I could hold in one hand. The sea was still, and I skipped rock after rock across the glass surface, following the spiraling arc of the rippling tendrils until the stone skidded to a stop and slid slowly underwater.”
If Pedro routinely discussed “the spiraling arc of the rippling tendrils”… he’d be complaining that certain sportswriters should have voted for him to win a Pulitzer Prize instead of a Cy Young award!
If the author removed half the crying-complaining-conspiracy antics… this would have been a much better baseball book. Note: I enjoyed the book… but it was hard to get through.
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I’ve been a fan of Pedro’s from the time he was a rookie with the Dodgers and even then it was no secret that they thought he was too small to hold up physically for even a short career. The trade they made sending Pedro to Montreal for Delino DeShields will forever stand as one of the worst trades in history. Reading this book for a true baseball fan… let alone… a Pedro fan… is a real up-and-down experience as far as enjoyment. While on one hand there’s a lot of inside info regarding other players and executives… there’s also an awful lot… “strike that”… waaay toooo much crying and complaining from Pedro… on every segment of his career.
I get the point… and appreciate… the fact… that since he was smaller he had to work harder… and it’s the perfect slight… to fuel what I personally call “positive-hate”… and that “positive-hate”… will make you continually go the extra mile in everything you do… in order to prove your doubters wrong. But… Pedro literally cries… and complains… and sees… untold conspiracies against him… with literally every blink of an eye. The Dodger managers were against him… the Dodger coaches and players were against him… the minor league executives… managers… and his very teammates… were against him. The same conspiracies were against him in Montreal and Boston. Pitching coaches… tormented him. For a reader it becomes tedious… while you are getting enjoyment from an insider’s look at games and famous players… to have this “woe-is-me” crop up more than a bad penny. Pedro goes into great detail how many more Cy Young’s he should have won… if certain sportswriters weren’t against him.
I feel bad about these next comments… because I love fiery players… and when I played… I played with an unbridled passion… but my Lord… how many times can you knock tables over because the world’s against you every which way you turn?
When it comes to pitching inside on a batter… and the questions and insinuations fly regarding purposely hitting batters… and his answers… and thoughts… contradict each other constantly. Suffice to say… if there truly is no crying in baseball… Pedro couldn’t have written this book. One of the more interesting parts of this saga is Martinez’s experience and take on the invasion of steroids during his career. And to his credit… he isn’t afraid to list names and their acne problems.
One trait that I really enjoy in a good autobiography… is when it’s written in such a way… that you truly feel like the subject/author is actually there talking to you… the exact way he or she would talk to you if you were having a beer together. That is certainly not the case here. Let me share a couple of sentences with you... and you tell me if that makes you feel as if it is really the everyday Pedro talking to you:
“I gathered as many smooth and flat stones as I could hold in one hand. The sea was still, and I skipped rock after rock across the glass surface, following the spiraling arc of the rippling tendrils until the stone skidded to a stop and slid slowly underwater.”
If Pedro routinely discussed “the spiraling arc of the rippling tendrils”… he’d be complaining that certain sportswriters should have voted for him to win a Pulitzer Prize instead of a Cy Young award!
If the author removed half the crying-complaining-conspiracy antics… this would have been a much better baseball book. Note: I enjoyed the book… but it was hard to get through.
September 30, 2019
I have been a Sox fan since 1986, when I was in the third grade. This book and year's HoF class are about all I have to look forward to this year in baseball.
That said: after reading this book, it is EASY to see why so many non-Sox fans hated Pedro. After reading through the Expos, I was starting to join that camp: the arrogance, the hypocrisy ("Why does everyone think I'm a headhunter?", followed by yet another plunking story), the whining ("Why did Barry Zito win the Cy Young?") was tough to swallow.
Getting past that, Pedro was simply FIERCE. Not just a fierce competitor, but fiercely loyal to his teammates (and outside of baseball, his family and country). He wasn't anyone to be f'd with, and he made his messages loud and clearin MLB. Some of his stories are like Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2 after John Conner orders him not to kill anyone (he follows orders by gunning down dozens of cops in the feet, knees and elbows). And every player knew that when they went to the batter's box.
There are some GREAT stories in this book--the Secret Service and the Clintons, Pedro's "Dominican salutes" for his new managers, Manny's mammajuana (aside: when is Manny writing his book? Put me on the preorder list for that one--what a nutjob). I am a true believer when it comes to Pedro being sober during the steroids era (his diminutive frame didn't vary much through his career)--just amazing to think about his ERA+. I don't think Boston sportswriter Chad Finn is exaggerating when he labels the 1999-2000 Pedro as the best pitcher in baseball, ever.
The death of his father was moving. Pedro is a sensitive and sincere guy, and he shares his feelings about his country and his family in this book. His reliance on his older brother Ramon as a mentor shows another side to Pedro as well. Nice touch.
Garcia was an okay narrator. He is a very neutral reader (most likely by design), but it's distracting when he doesn't know baseball slang ("3 to 2" is a score, not a count).
For any baseball fan, this title is a must-read. Go Sox, long live #45.
That said: after reading this book, it is EASY to see why so many non-Sox fans hated Pedro. After reading through the Expos, I was starting to join that camp: the arrogance, the hypocrisy ("Why does everyone think I'm a headhunter?", followed by yet another plunking story), the whining ("Why did Barry Zito win the Cy Young?") was tough to swallow.
Getting past that, Pedro was simply FIERCE. Not just a fierce competitor, but fiercely loyal to his teammates (and outside of baseball, his family and country). He wasn't anyone to be f'd with, and he made his messages loud and clearin MLB. Some of his stories are like Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2 after John Conner orders him not to kill anyone (he follows orders by gunning down dozens of cops in the feet, knees and elbows). And every player knew that when they went to the batter's box.
There are some GREAT stories in this book--the Secret Service and the Clintons, Pedro's "Dominican salutes" for his new managers, Manny's mammajuana (aside: when is Manny writing his book? Put me on the preorder list for that one--what a nutjob). I am a true believer when it comes to Pedro being sober during the steroids era (his diminutive frame didn't vary much through his career)--just amazing to think about his ERA+. I don't think Boston sportswriter Chad Finn is exaggerating when he labels the 1999-2000 Pedro as the best pitcher in baseball, ever.
The death of his father was moving. Pedro is a sensitive and sincere guy, and he shares his feelings about his country and his family in this book. His reliance on his older brother Ramon as a mentor shows another side to Pedro as well. Nice touch.
Garcia was an okay narrator. He is a very neutral reader (most likely by design), but it's distracting when he doesn't know baseball slang ("3 to 2" is a score, not a count).
For any baseball fan, this title is a must-read. Go Sox, long live #45.
May 7, 2017
I am a diehard Red Sox fan, so Pedro Martinez is on my Mt Rushmore. His starts as a Red Sox pitcher in 1999 and 2000 were must watch events. You could make a good argument that these years were the most dominant of any pitcher in baseball ever. His ERA was significantly lower than other pitchers at the time and he played in an era noted not only for hitting but for steroid abuse. All of that is true and without dispute. Still, this autobiography seems incredibly self serving, even to me. It is not so much an autobiography, told, in Pedro's words, to reveal the true person underneath the hitter, as it is an apologetic for anything Pedro ever did or was involved in. Here we find out how the Dodgers can never be forgiven for trading Pedro, how he really should have won two more Cy Youngs as well as an MVP, how his injuries were the result of managers asking him to do too much, how the Red Sox disrespected him by not giving him four guaranteed years after the 2004 season, even though he was only healthy for the next year and a half, how he never threw at anyone who didn't deserve it. I love Pedro Martinez but I would have liked more about the science of pitching (there is a lot of good stuff on that in the book) as well as what made him so dominant besides his inner drive.
June 17, 2015
"...after all my tears, all my fears, all my fights, all my money, all my honors and awards, I was used to leaving bewilderment, confusion, and anger in my wake, as well as some wonder and awe. That had been the story of my life. And that story began, just as it will end, here at la finca."
"I had the essentials, beginning with the heart of a lion. Behind every pitch lay the determination and will to win: to kill rather than be killed."
"Hard work and good chemistry, yes, there was plenty of that, especially in an age when hitters had gained an edge over pitchers. But when theory, knowledge, and talent result in execution at a dominant level, there’s some mystery and grandeur in play as well. Sometimes the magic of baseball steals the day."
"Behind every big-league pitcher stands the real person, each with his own story to tell of resilience and an offering of hope. Mine is the story of a young boy and then a man who overcame his demons, fought his battles, overcame the doubters, and ignored the taunts and jeers of the fans who acted as if they knew the man in front of them, the man who lived, loved, cried, and laughed his way from the humblest beginning to this blessed present. From the mango tree to the top of the world. A ball in my hand, flowers at my feet."
Rating: 3.5/5
Quotes:
“Flowers teach you something,” she said. “They teach you about how to be, how to live inside. The heart of someone is like a flower—a beautiful thing in a person and is an attraction for someone.
He stressed to me that if I ever wanted a shot at becoming a baseball player, I had to do everything like he did.
Train, run, and throw, then train, run, and throw some more.
“There are no shortcuts,” he told me. “I got you into the academy, but I can’t get you out of here.
“That part’s up to you.”
Eleodoro had spoken with me before and after the tryout. He knew what I was about. He had locked eyes with me, and I never blinked back at his intense, dark eyes. He did not see an ounce of fear. He sensed that I would show everyone that what they saw on the outside bore no resemblance to what was on the inside. Look inside my heart, I was saying. There you’ll find the answer you’re looking for.
"The fact that he had to compete with so much talent that was at Campo Las Palmas forced him to develop his ability to concentrate, his intelligence, and above all, the ability to throw all of his pitches with excellent control."
“Never quit pitching inside.”
"After all the adversity I overcame, from cultural shock, jealous teammates, distrustful coaches, and ultimately disbelief that my head and body would hold up as a big-league starter, the Dodgers prized an outsider more highly than one of their own. The Dodgers gave up on me. They turned their back on me, which is why, to this day, my back is turned on them."
"Imagine if Rivera had never blazed his Hall of Fame path in the Bronx and I had spent my peak years there instead. It’s a fun scenario to toss around, and there were others too."
Torre’s opinion was, “‘Look for a pitch and try to stay with it.’ That’s why guys took a lot out of Pedro because Pedro, to me, he was always trying to throw pitches that looked like strikes. They weren’t, because he had the ability to do that, which is very rare. I think basically we were trying to stay in the middle of the field with him. We weren’t trying to pull him, we were just trying to stay on the ball. He could embarrass you, but so be it—you can’t play this game afraid of being embarrassed.”
As usual, Joe acted surprised that I was not there.
“You’re not going to go to the meeting?”
“No. I’ve faced these guys before. What is there that I haven’t seen?”
“Well, you better find your way to get Jeter out.”
“Why don’t you and Jeter together go fuck yourself, Joe.”
He had to laugh at that one, but that made me even more snippy.
"Sometimes you really find out about a person when things aren’t going so good"
Crazy Story:
I continued to circle the baseball field.
The cafeteria at Dodgertown had big windows that overlooked the fields, so I wasn’t surprised to hear later that Leo Posada, one of the minor league instructors, asked Chico as they sat down to eat, “Hey, who’s that guy running out there? He’s been running for more than an hour.”
Chico said, “Who?” before looking out the window. Next thing I know, Chico sprinted toward me from the cafeteria.
“Why are you running?” Chico asked.
I had been running for almost two hours in my cleats, with no water.
“Because you told me to run until you remember to stop me—did you finally remember?” I asked.
Now, I could tell, Chico felt awful.
He said, “I’m sorry, Pedro, I didn’t mean it.”
Very calmly, I said, “That’s okay. Next time, just tell me to get my tennis shoes and I’ll run forever.”
I sat down on the grass and gingerly untied my cleats, pulled them off, and saw that blood had seeped through my socks. My toes and the back of my heel were peeling, the skin was all gone, and I had sets of blisters exactly where each cleat had been pounding into the bottom of my feet.
I remember Guy and the other coaches got very upset over what had happened, especially with the intrasquad game coming up.
I told them, “No, it doesn’t matter.”
Guy said, “Tomorrow you won’t run.”
“I will run. But I just need my tennis shoes.”
2 Hilarious Parts:
"When I came back, I didn’t always have perfect attendance, mainly because there were some baseball games I wanted to play in that conflicted with my class time. One teacher decided to nip my hooky habit in the bud. I had a really short haircut then, almost completely shaved off, except for a little tuft in the front of my head. My teacher grabbed that tuft one day and shook my head back and forth."
I never heard what 40-10’s real name was, but I knew the origin of his nickname. He was a young baseball player taking an English class, and it came time for him to practice his counting. So he started to count out loud: “ . . . forty-six, forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine, forty-ten—”
Baseball players can’t let a beautiful moment like that just slide on by.
"I had the essentials, beginning with the heart of a lion. Behind every pitch lay the determination and will to win: to kill rather than be killed."
"Hard work and good chemistry, yes, there was plenty of that, especially in an age when hitters had gained an edge over pitchers. But when theory, knowledge, and talent result in execution at a dominant level, there’s some mystery and grandeur in play as well. Sometimes the magic of baseball steals the day."
"Behind every big-league pitcher stands the real person, each with his own story to tell of resilience and an offering of hope. Mine is the story of a young boy and then a man who overcame his demons, fought his battles, overcame the doubters, and ignored the taunts and jeers of the fans who acted as if they knew the man in front of them, the man who lived, loved, cried, and laughed his way from the humblest beginning to this blessed present. From the mango tree to the top of the world. A ball in my hand, flowers at my feet."
Rating: 3.5/5
Quotes:
“Flowers teach you something,” she said. “They teach you about how to be, how to live inside. The heart of someone is like a flower—a beautiful thing in a person and is an attraction for someone.
He stressed to me that if I ever wanted a shot at becoming a baseball player, I had to do everything like he did.
Train, run, and throw, then train, run, and throw some more.
“There are no shortcuts,” he told me. “I got you into the academy, but I can’t get you out of here.
“That part’s up to you.”
Eleodoro had spoken with me before and after the tryout. He knew what I was about. He had locked eyes with me, and I never blinked back at his intense, dark eyes. He did not see an ounce of fear. He sensed that I would show everyone that what they saw on the outside bore no resemblance to what was on the inside. Look inside my heart, I was saying. There you’ll find the answer you’re looking for.
"The fact that he had to compete with so much talent that was at Campo Las Palmas forced him to develop his ability to concentrate, his intelligence, and above all, the ability to throw all of his pitches with excellent control."
“Never quit pitching inside.”
"After all the adversity I overcame, from cultural shock, jealous teammates, distrustful coaches, and ultimately disbelief that my head and body would hold up as a big-league starter, the Dodgers prized an outsider more highly than one of their own. The Dodgers gave up on me. They turned their back on me, which is why, to this day, my back is turned on them."
"Imagine if Rivera had never blazed his Hall of Fame path in the Bronx and I had spent my peak years there instead. It’s a fun scenario to toss around, and there were others too."
Torre’s opinion was, “‘Look for a pitch and try to stay with it.’ That’s why guys took a lot out of Pedro because Pedro, to me, he was always trying to throw pitches that looked like strikes. They weren’t, because he had the ability to do that, which is very rare. I think basically we were trying to stay in the middle of the field with him. We weren’t trying to pull him, we were just trying to stay on the ball. He could embarrass you, but so be it—you can’t play this game afraid of being embarrassed.”
As usual, Joe acted surprised that I was not there.
“You’re not going to go to the meeting?”
“No. I’ve faced these guys before. What is there that I haven’t seen?”
“Well, you better find your way to get Jeter out.”
“Why don’t you and Jeter together go fuck yourself, Joe.”
He had to laugh at that one, but that made me even more snippy.
"Sometimes you really find out about a person when things aren’t going so good"
Crazy Story:
I continued to circle the baseball field.
The cafeteria at Dodgertown had big windows that overlooked the fields, so I wasn’t surprised to hear later that Leo Posada, one of the minor league instructors, asked Chico as they sat down to eat, “Hey, who’s that guy running out there? He’s been running for more than an hour.”
Chico said, “Who?” before looking out the window. Next thing I know, Chico sprinted toward me from the cafeteria.
“Why are you running?” Chico asked.
I had been running for almost two hours in my cleats, with no water.
“Because you told me to run until you remember to stop me—did you finally remember?” I asked.
Now, I could tell, Chico felt awful.
He said, “I’m sorry, Pedro, I didn’t mean it.”
Very calmly, I said, “That’s okay. Next time, just tell me to get my tennis shoes and I’ll run forever.”
I sat down on the grass and gingerly untied my cleats, pulled them off, and saw that blood had seeped through my socks. My toes and the back of my heel were peeling, the skin was all gone, and I had sets of blisters exactly where each cleat had been pounding into the bottom of my feet.
I remember Guy and the other coaches got very upset over what had happened, especially with the intrasquad game coming up.
I told them, “No, it doesn’t matter.”
Guy said, “Tomorrow you won’t run.”
“I will run. But I just need my tennis shoes.”
2 Hilarious Parts:
"When I came back, I didn’t always have perfect attendance, mainly because there were some baseball games I wanted to play in that conflicted with my class time. One teacher decided to nip my hooky habit in the bud. I had a really short haircut then, almost completely shaved off, except for a little tuft in the front of my head. My teacher grabbed that tuft one day and shook my head back and forth."
I never heard what 40-10’s real name was, but I knew the origin of his nickname. He was a young baseball player taking an English class, and it came time for him to practice his counting. So he started to count out loud: “ . . . forty-six, forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine, forty-ten—”
Baseball players can’t let a beautiful moment like that just slide on by.
January 8, 2020
Decent book by Pedro Martinez that details his career pitching for the Dodgers, Expos, Red Sox, Mets and Phillies. Pedro holds no punches back and goes off on some players and coaches including Joe Kerrigan, Mike Piazza, Reggie Sanders and well, the entire Dodgers organization, which he really needs to let go. I mean, if the Dodgers don't trade him (and it was a horrible trade) his career might not have been the same. Going to Montreal to be a sure starter was the best thing that could have happened to him at the time. It also seems he changes his story a little. At first he says he would never hit someone on purpose but as the book goes on he would say, "Yeah this guy is gonna get hit by me." It was like reading a book by Rick James on the Dave Chappelle show. I did like reading about Pedro's take on Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS though and respected that he took the blame for the loss, even though he should have come out of the game earlier. The majority of the book focuses on his days with the Red Sox and Expos, so fans of those teams will really enjoy. Not a bad autobiography, but not a great one either.
October 14, 2018
It was interesting to learn about the history of Major League Baseball as well as one of the best pitchers to play the game. In 2015 I was lucky enough to be in Cooperstown for Pedro’s induction into the Hall of Fame. Being a young Red Sox fan, I’ve recently been curious to learn about the teams past as well as some of its past players I wasn’t able to notice at a young age. I enjoyed learning about how Pedro was determined to make the majors, making his way up through the Dodgers system and the Exops. Eventually ending with Boston and the Mets. Sometimes he had to make it through some controversial times and control his temper. I enjoyed hearing his perspective on how to play the game instead of just the negative most fans remember. I also enjoyed learning about the history of the team I follow today in the Red Sox. Especially in 2004 when the curse was broken. I liked his perspective on the free agent market where he decided on the Mets. I gave me a wider spectrum on how free agency works for athletes. Next I will have to read the biography of another Sox legend in David Ortiz. I would imagine I will enjoy it as much as Pedro's compelling story. Go Sox!
June 1, 2017
The most interesting part of the book is Pedro's journey from poverty in the Dominican Republic to a MLB player. Pedro dives into the minor leagues, coach struggles and trade negotiations. Pedro gives the reader an inside look into the world of baseball and pitching techniques.
Pedro had a hall of fame career and goes into a season by season overview of the process. The book also dives into every brawl and fight over the course of Pedro's career.
Toward the end, Pedro comes off bitter and annoying with his endless grudges and feuds.
The Audiobook and overall book is heavily edited by Michael Silverman and does feel more american than a latin american voice.
Pedro had a hall of fame career and goes into a season by season overview of the process. The book also dives into every brawl and fight over the course of Pedro's career.
Toward the end, Pedro comes off bitter and annoying with his endless grudges and feuds.
The Audiobook and overall book is heavily edited by Michael Silverman and does feel more american than a latin american voice.
May 27, 2017
Pedro's story of personal drive and ambition to be the best is very interesting and readable. His voice is on every page with some shaping by co-author Michael Silverman.
The difference between the good and the great is always the work they were willing to put in to master their craft. Pedro's grit, ego and determination got him to that rarified level that culminated with entering the Baseball Hall of Fame. If you love Pedro, or baseball or stories of what it takes to be great, you'll enjoy this book.
The difference between the good and the great is always the work they were willing to put in to master their craft. Pedro's grit, ego and determination got him to that rarified level that culminated with entering the Baseball Hall of Fame. If you love Pedro, or baseball or stories of what it takes to be great, you'll enjoy this book.
July 7, 2017
Great insight
Pedro was a once in a generation pitcher. His 99 and 2000 seasons may be the best 2 years ever pitched. This book was great because it brings you deep into the mind of Pedro. Fueled by emotions and fears both off and on the field it was great to have a look at exactly what makes Pedro tick. If a fan of the Boston Red Sox or even of Major League Baseball I strongly suggest this book.
Pedro was a once in a generation pitcher. His 99 and 2000 seasons may be the best 2 years ever pitched. This book was great because it brings you deep into the mind of Pedro. Fueled by emotions and fears both off and on the field it was great to have a look at exactly what makes Pedro tick. If a fan of the Boston Red Sox or even of Major League Baseball I strongly suggest this book.
May 31, 2018
Pedro Martinez is easily my favorite pitcher of all time. He was must watch any time he took the mound. This was a fun look into his career and to hear his strong opinions on his teammates and coaches throughout his playing years. I wish there was a bit more on individual games, and I wish there was a bit more about his personal life, but overall if you are a baseball fan (especially a Red Sox fan), this will be a very enjoyable read.
August 17, 2024
I was given an autographed copy of the book to read--it was a fun read and quick. I new the players and I thought I knew something about Pedro Martinez. I now think I am well informed. A well written book about perseverance, such as even though he was not six feet tall (the Dodger minimum for a pitcher) he worked it to get noticed and signed. He was intentional about throwing, learning from long tossing as well as side sessions and working on his weaknesses. I liked these lessons.
November 3, 2025
Pedro Martinez seems to have written this autobiography with the intention of getting even with everyone who has ever slighted him in his life, and that seems to be nearly everyone he has ever met. He throws teammates under the bus, he brags and boasts, he reports in detail on everything that was ever said to him that he didn't like. He has a photographic memory for slights and perceived slights, and has gathered them all together here. This book is kind of a mess.
April 13, 2018
I enjoyed reading this story about Pedro Martinez. It was nice to relive some of his great seasons through his eyes. The book did a decent job of informing the reader about his upbringing, early career struggles, and insight into the Red Sox clubhouse. Pedro is an entertaining quick read that all baseball fan will enjoy.
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