Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said Thursday after Boston fired pitching coach Juan Nieves that the club was considering at least one internal candidate and one external candidate for the position.
It appears Pedro Martinez is not on Cherington’s “very short list.”
Martinez, who currently serves as a special assistant to Cherington, told CSNNE’s Jessica Moran on Thursday he’s not interested in the Red Sox’s pitching coach job at this time.
“They have never approached me with that mentality,” Martinez told Moran. “It’s a job that does not come to my interest. I think being a pitching coach is a lot more than you guys know. Being a pitching coach is more than being a player, it’s more than being on time, it’s more than being at the field at 2:30 or maybe 2.
“I don’t think I would want to be in a field 162 games — a little bit more — like I did as a player. So I don’t think it would be in my lines to do that. Even though I could help the team at any time they need me.”
The idea of Martinez serving as Boston’s pitching coach is fun. The Hall of Fame pitcher is one of the most colorful and energetic personalities in Red Sox history. He’s also one heck of a baseball mind.
Like Martinez said, though, the workload is something that’s not appealing to all former big leaguers. It’s a huge commitment and one Martinez clearly is ready to pass on for the time being.
Maybe he’ll get the itch in a few years.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
