So the games have begun, which is fantastic but also troublesome for the true fans. You see, on the one hand, there is nothing better than getting to turn on WRKO to hear live broadcasts of Red Sox games, or to see highlights of diving catches and sunny grass fields when I turn on Sportscenter at night. On the other hand, after two spring training games people have already determined that Papi is cooked after going hitless in seven ABs and that Buchholz is totally over his command problems after pitching two scoreless innings against a Dunn-less Cincinnati lineup. Instead of focusing on the state of Lester’s changeup or Lars Anderson’s ability to hit the breaking ball, how about talking about the greatest Red Sox pitcher of all time. No, I’m not talking about Clemens* or some guy who they named the annual pitching award after, I’m talking about the one and only Pedro Martinez.

According to Sean McAdam, Pedro offered his services to the Red Sox but the Sox said they didn’t need him. Surprisingly this story hasn’t created an online riot on SoSH. Let me start by saying that I want Pedro to not only retire in a Sox jersey, but be immortalized in Cooperstown with that B on his hat as well. But the Sox did the right thing here. Pedro hasn’t made 30+ starts in the last three seasons. In 2007, he made only 5 starts, and in 2008 he made 20, but still had a 5.61 ERA in the NL. Going into the season, the Sox have potentially nine starting pitchers they can use: Beckett, Lester, Wakefield, Dice-K, Penny, Buchholz, Smoltz, Masterson and Bowden, all of who are less risky at this point than Petey. Sure, the Sox could do what would be best for the team and offer Petey a minor league deal, but this is still the man who was “disrespected” by a 3-year offer in 2004. This is the same Petey who by comparison made Manny look like a model citizen of the clubhouse. If the man wasn’t the face of the franchise for almost 10 years, this wouldn’t even be a discussion. Hell, Theo probably wouldn’t have even bothered to call his agent back if it wasn’t Pedro Martinez.

I wish Petey the best. I hope he signs on with a team that could use his help so he can have a few more successful seasons before signing a purely sentimental one-day contract so he can retire as a Red Sox. But right now it would be disrespectful to the Red Sox to ask for a spot in the rotation.