The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #16 Pedro Martinez

Mastering the list at #16 is Boston Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez. If Pedro had been just a little more durable, he would be the leading candidate in the “greatest pitcher of all-time” discussion. Even with just a shade over 2,800 career innings, Pedro dominated the game like no other pitcher in history. His 154 ERA+ is the highest ever among pitchers with at least 2,800 career innings. His 1.05 WHIP is the second-lowest in MLB history (min. 2,800 career innings). His .686 winning percentage is the 2nd highest in MLB history (min. 2,800 innings). He’s the only pitcher in MLB history with at least 215 career wins without losing more than 100 games. He’s the only pitcher in history with six seasons of at least 100 innings and less than a .95 WHIP. There have only been three seasons in history with at least 280 innings and a 240 ERA+ and Pedro has two of them. He joins Sandy Koufax as the only players in history to lead the league in ERA five consecutive seasons (min. of 18 games started). Pedro shares the record with Walter Johnson and Sandy Koufax with two seasons of at least 300 strikeouts and less than a .94 WHIP. In 1999, he became one of two players (Gerrit Cole) in history with 310 strikeouts in fewer than 215 innings. His 2000 season may have been the best season by a pitcher in baseball history, becoming the only pitcher ever to throw 200 innings with less than a .74 WHIP, and the only pitcher ever to throw 200 innings with a 290 ERA+. Pedro shares the record with three seasons of at least 180 innings and fewer than five losses, and two seasons with at least 20 wins and fewer than five losses. (Roger Clemens). He holds the record with five seasons of at least 180 innings and a 200 ERA+. Pedro won three Cy Young awards and probably should’ve won a fourth, if not a fifth. In 2004, Pedro helped lead Boston to its first World Series championship in 86 years with seven scoreless innings in Game 3 to put Boston up 3-0.