Pedro Martinez spent quite a bit of time at Fenway Park this week, and the visit to his old stomping grounds apparently included more than just number retirement festivities.
One Boston Red Sox official told Peter Gammons that the newly enshrined Hall of Famer also took a few minutes to hand out some pearls of pitching wisdom to Red Sox pitchers Joe Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez.
“It was like going to graduate school,” the official said, via GammonsDaily.com. “Pedro gave Kelly a lecture about changing speeds, changing sightlines and pitching with his great stuff. He showed him his changeup grip. Then he worked with Rodriguez on his mental approach and changeup grip.
“He was supposed to be upstairs at a reception. But he ran a class for an hour. Those guys couldn’t believe it. None of us have ever been taught like that.”
Both Kelly and Rodriguez have struggled at times this season. The former was sent down to the minors last month and has failed to impress in two starts since returning, and the latter has looked like an ace in eight of his starts (two earned runs allowed or fewer) and a punching bag in his three others (between six and nine earned runs allowed).
And really, who couldn’t use a few pointers from Pedro?
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
