Pedro Martinez's top 10 moments

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Ramon Martinez was coming off a 17-win season and was a year removed from winning 20 games and leading the Majors with 12 complete games. Yet the Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander wasn't the most talked-about pitcher at the club's Spring Training camp in 1992. Heck, he wasn't even the most heralded pitcher in his family.

That status was reserved for Martinez's younger brother, Pedro Martinez, whose stuff was so electric that it could have supplied power to Dodger Stadium -- or, in his best years, Fenway Park.

Pedro became more than just a staff ace. He emerged as the pre-eminent pitcher of his era, winning three Cy Young Awards between 1997-2000 and finishing fourth or higher in the balloting four times between 1998-2004.

Here's a look at 10 developments that separated Martinez from everyone else:

1. The seven-year itch
1997-2003

In this stretch, Martinez performed better than almost any pitcher ever. He compiled a ?118?-36 record with a 2.20 ERA in 201 games (199 starts). Besides winning those aforementioned Cy Young Awards, he led the Major Leagues in ERA five times and strikeouts in the American League three times. He also captured the unofficial pitchers' triple crown in 1999 by topping the Majors in wins (23) and ERA (2.07) and finishing with an AL-high 313 strikeouts.

2. Please come to Boston
Nov. 18, 1997

Uncertain that a pitcher of his physical stature (Martinez was generously listed at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds) could succeed, the Dodgers sent him to Montreal for second baseman Delino DeShields on Nov. 19, 1993. With Martinez bound for free agency after the '98 season, the Expos had no choice but to trade him, which they did by swapping him to the Red Sox for right-handers Carl Pavano and Tony Armas.

3. Bullpen dominance
Oct. 11, 1999

Martinez seemed capable of doing anything during this season, and he reinforced that notion by pitching six no-hit innings against Cleveland as the Red Sox captured the Game 5 clincher of an AL Division Series, 12-8. A sore-shouldered Martinez entered with the score tied at 8, and he proceeded to silence Cleveland, whose 1,009 regular-season runs scored were the most since 1950.

4. Awards controversy
1999

Martinez won the AL Cy Young Award voting, but that wasn't an issue. His 23-4 record, among other statistics, made him a legitimate AL Most Valuable Player Award candidate. But two members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America who cast MVP votes left Martinez off their ballots completely. That could have made a difference, since voting points are assigned on a sliding scale for each of the 10 spots on the ballot. Though Martinez received more first-place votes (eight) than any other player, Texas catcher Iván Rodríguez edged Martinez, 252-239, angering the latter's supporters.

5. More awards controversy
2002

Baseball's cognoscenti hadn't fully grasped modern metrics by this time. Otherwise, Martinez might have won his fourth Cy Young Award. Martinez led the Majors with a 202 ERA+ and a 2.24 FIP (fielding independent pitching), as well as more traditional categories such as ERA (2.26), WHIP (0.923) and hits per nine innings (6.5). He also amassed an AL-high 239 strikeouts. But most voters believed that such numbers were eclipsed by Oakland's Barry Zito, who finished 23-5 to Martinez's 20-4. Zito garnered 17 first-place votes while Martinez received the remaining 11. That provided enough of a margin for the A's left-hander to beat Martinez, 114-96.

6. Amazing All-Star
July 13, 1999

The Red Sox didn't just host the All-Star Game. They completely took over it. First, franchise legend Ted Williams stole the show, as well as hearts, at Fenway Park with a pregame on-field appearance. Martinez then took center stage, striking out five of the six batters he faced while starting for the AL. He was voted the Midsummer Classic's MVP as the AL triumphed, 4-1.

7. Last call for a legend
2003

This was Martinez's last truly great season. He posted a 14-4 mark while finishing with Major League bests in winning percentage (.778), ERA (2.22), ERA+ (211) and FIP (2.21). He lasted six more seasons after this year, including 2004, when he helped the Red Sox capture their first World Series title since 1918.

8. Strikeout story
1997-2000

Martinez struck out 313 batters in 1999, repeating the feat he accomplished in '97 when he totaled 305 strikeouts with Montreal. He became the ninth Modern Era (since 1900) pitcher to reach the 300-strikeout plateau in multiple seasons, joining, among others, Nolan Ryan (six), Randy Johnson (three by '99 and six total), Curt Schilling (two by '99 and three total) and Sandy Koufax (three).

9. Close calls
1994, '95, '99, 2000

Against the Reds on April 13, 1994, Martinez was protecting a perfect game with one out in the eighth inning when he hit Reggie Sanders with a pitch. An enraged Sanders charged the mound, sparking a benches-clearing brawl. Martinez left the game after Brian Dorsett led off the ninth by singling to center. Facing San Diego on June 3, 1995, Martinez retired the first 27 hitters he confronted before Bip Roberts doubled to open the 10th inning. On Sept. 10, 1999, Martinez hit the game's first batter, Chuck Knoblauch, and yielded a second-inning homer to Chili Davis before retiring the final 22 batters he faced. Martinez also took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against Tampa Bay on Aug. 29, 2000, before John Flaherty drilled a leadoff single.

10. Cruising into Cooperstown
2015

Predictably, Martinez reached the Hall of Fame in his first try with an overwhelming vote total. He was named on 500 of 549 ballots (91.1%). Martinez went bilingual for his induction, deftly going back and forth between his native tongue and the second language he also mastered long ago.