The mighty Martinez has stuck out

By Ron Kantowski

Monday, Dec. 8, 2008 | 4:36 p.m.

NOW:

Here's a good story about Greg Maddux, the future Hall of Famer from Las Vegas who announced his retirement from major league baseball after a brilliant 23-year pitching career on Monday during the baseball winter meetings at the Bellagio.

During the 2000 season, veteran baseball writer Bob Nightengale asked Maddux about the most memorable at-bat of his pitching career. He was surprised by the answer. It was striking out Dave Martinez with the bases loaded to end a regular season game.

Dave Martinez was a journeyman ballplayer at best. If he were an Indy 500 driver, for instance, he would have been Howdy Holmes. If he were a Crayola, he'd have been Periwinkle, or Raw Sienna. If he were a Batman villain, he would have been King Tut, or the Bookworm. You get the idea.

But Maddux couldn't have been prouder to strike him out.

"I remember that one because he got a hit off me in the same situation (full count, bases loaded, two outs in the ninth inning) seven years earlier. I told myself if I ever got in the same situation again, I'll pitch him differently," Maddux said.

"It took me seven years, but I got him."

I only hope Dave Martinez will read this, and one day will have grandchildren he can tell this story to, because nobody else would believe it.

THEN:

"(Greg) Maddux is so good, we all should be wearing tuxedos when he pitches" -- Montreal Expos scout Phil Favia.