Pedro: 'Don't Even Think About Me Coming Back'
BOSTON (CBS) - Pedro Martinez is back with the Red Sox, but don't think he'll be tossing on that No. 45 jersey and toeing the rubber anytime soon. Those dominating days when the three-time Cy Young winner delivered ferocious fastballs into the catcher's mitt are over.
"Don't even think about me coming back," a wide-eyed Martinez told the large collection of reporters circled around him prior to the Boston Baseball Writers of America dinner on Thursday night. "Those three years, four years I've been away really made it clear I don't belong on the field anymore."
While he might not belong on the field, he'll see plenty of it in his new role with the Red Sox. The future Hall of Famer was named a special assistant to GM Ben Cherington on Thursday, and can't wait to bring his experience -- and some spunk -- to the organization.
"I think the situation is right," Martinez said of his new job. "They need people like me that can relate to the players, relate to the office, have the good communication and interest that they need right now. I think the players somehow still see me like a player. I'm also a veteran -- a real old veteran -- and I can probably offer some advice on how to handle situations [to the younger players].
"I think I'll be involved in everything," he said. "I'm going to communicate with Ben and the front office, and help out in the field. I want to be with everybody, I want to be in everything. I want to get my nose dirty."
Following a career that saw him win 219 games and strike out more than 3,000 batters, Martinez is ready to teach the young arms in the Red Sox system how to get things done on the mound.
"I love to teach. I love to deal with the players," said Pedro. "I have a very good relationship with the players, and I'm also fun. I think they need a little bit of that with the players.
"They're all young enough to listen to the old goat, and I think they're all my friends.," he continued. "I see them as teammates, I see them as friends, and I see them as players that can get probably get some advice from an old goat like me."
And though he won't be taking the mound every four days, Pedro will still make his mark with the others that will.
"I think I can be on the field this way and have as much fun, and see the results make it more fun for me if I'm able to help some of the guys," he said. "Remember, it's going to be them doing what they're going to do, not me. I'm just going to try to help them out to smooth the way over."
