Pedro Martinez is a Hall Of Fame Daddy

Pedro Martinez was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame today, along with Randy Johnson, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio.

All four players are super-deserving of the honor.  The news of Pedro's election made me think how much more interesting the Red Sox/Yankee rivalry was "back then." It wasn't even that long ago.

"The Greatest Rivalry in Sports" was really rockin' during Pedro's heyday. The Yankees were racking up World Series title after title. The Red Sox were desperately trying to Reverse "The Curse" and bring a World Series trophy to Boston for the first time since 1918.

The personalities were larger than life on both sides of the field. Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter, Curt Schilling, Mariano Rivera, Manny Ramirez, David Wells, Big Papi and Bernie Williams. Nomahhhhh.

And in the middle of it all was Pedro.

Twelve K's over seven innings vs the Yankees in the 1999 ALCS, beating Roger Clemens. Seventeen K's in one game vs the Yanks in 1999, even earning applause from the Yankee Stadium crowd.

2000: again facing Clemens, the two pitchers combined for 22 strikeouts in a pitcher's duel for the ages.

"Wake up the damn Bambino and I'll drill him in the ass." 2001.

Drilling both Jeter and Soriano in the first inning of a 2003 game.

Being left in too long, and allowing the Yankees to tie Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. The Yanks would eventually win, bringing another winter of despair to Boston.

Yankee Stadium swaying to 50,000 fans screaming "Who's Your Daddy?"

Giving Red Sox Nation a collective heart attack in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS when he came in to pitch the seventh inning and promptly got into trouble before wiggling out. The Red Sox went on to win the game and their first World Series in 86 years.

That, my friends, was baseball. Didn't matter which team was yours, Pedro vs the Yankees was must-see TV, and even better in person. Let's hope that both teams are better this coming year. Baseball is a lot more interesting that way. It's been awhile since both the Sox and Yanks have had good years at the same time, and they both just plain stunk last year. Here's hoping the Rivalry can renew itself.

Congrats to Pedro, Smoltz, Johnson and Biggio.