Pedro Martinez not only earned a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame for his talent on the mound, but also for his defiant character against the best hitters. Throughout his 18 Major League seasons, the Dominican never backed down from stars such as Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols or Ken Griffey Jr.
A history against the Yankees
Although Martinez was hit 141 times in his career, no team felt his competitive fire more than the New York Yankees, whom he hit 17 times. That rivalry made him one of the most feared pitchers by the franchise, and also the right voice to comment on how he would face the current captain, Aaron Judge.
During the WEEI broadcast of the Yankees vs. Red Sox game at Fenway Park, Pedro was asked about how he would measure up against Judge, who debuted seven years after his retirement. True to form, he did not hesitate to respond: “Tall for any other player is not tall for Aaron Judge, so you have to go higher. If I wanted to hit him, I would. Straight up.”
Judge’s power and Pedro’s response
The comment came shortly after the 6-foot-7 Judge punished Boston with a 468-foot home run over the Green Monster in the first inning of New York’s 4-1 victory. Martinez acknowledged that the only way to neutralize the slugger was to raise the ball even higher in the strike zone, a tactic he used frequently to disarm opponents in his day.
An impossible but legendary duel
Although fans will never see a real showdown between Pedro Martinez and Aaron Judge, the very idea is fascinating. Two baseball giants, each dominant in their era, would have starred in a clash that would go down as one of the most epic duels in diamond history.
Read the full article here
