Pedro Martinez, Mets hater? Not so fast

The writers have spoken and MLB welcomes four new members into the Hall of Fame. Among them is former Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez. While Martinez certainly did not get into the hall based on his accolades with the Mets, he still seems to have a soft spot for New York fans.

In a press conference yesterday, Martinez, who is never at a loss for words, had plenty to say about the differences between Mets fans and Yankees fans. He says about Mets fans “they’re wild, they’re happy. They settle for what they have.” In contrast, he says about Yankees fans, “The Yankees fans do not. It’s ‘win or nothing. Win or nothing’.”

While this may initially sound to the New York media like he’s taking a jab at the Mets fans and complimenting Yankees fans for never settling for less than a winner, it doesn’t seem that way to me. He sounds like he’s acknowledging that Mets fans are warm, forgiving, patient and supportive of their players. That seems to be what all fan bases would strive to be like.

It also sounds as if he is saying the Yankees fans are anything but these qualities. In fact, he goes on to state in reference to Yankees fans that “as the opposition, they wanted to intimidate you”. As if almost apologetically, he adds “But deep in their heart, they appreciate baseball. They know greatness when they see it.”

Pedro Martinez was greatness. No one can deny that now. He has the ultimate career honor of the Hall of Fame to back that up now. With that said, he wasn’t great as a Met and certainly not against the Yankees. With many games from the opposing dugout, he knows of which he speaks.

He has a career 11-11 record with a 3.20 ERA and 216.2 Innings pitched against the Yankees. He threw more innings against the Yankees than any other team. He also gave up 17 home runs (fourth highest against any other team). He had 32 starts against them with 261 strikeouts (most against any team). To put it honestly, he was an above average pitcher at best against the Yankees.

He was also an above average pitcher for the Mets albeit, an expensive, above average pitcher, though. They paid him roughly $50M over four seasons. He posted a 32-23 record with a 3.88 ERA in 486.2 Innings pitched. These aren’t bad numbers by any stretch, but the truth be told, they’re not Hall of Fame numbers. Pedro Martinez made his mark in Boston.

While there is a mutual respect between he and Yankees fans for that Boston/Yankees rivalry, he had the unique chance to see the Yankees fans with a different rival: the Mets. It is from this experience that he seems to have earned his full perspective of New York fans as a whole.

That perspective is what makes him so unique. He embraced it.The Mets fans, in return, embraced him and many will make the trek this summer to Cooperstown to support him. In the end, they recognize greatness too, even if they aren’t always as demanding of it.