Pedro Martinez pays emotional tribute to David Ortiz
By Matt McCarthy, 985TheSportsHub.com
Red Sox great Pedro Martinez delivered an emotional and powerful tribute to David Ortiz as his former teammate recovers from a gunshot wound he suffered Sunday night in his native Dominican Republic.
In an appearance on MLB Network, Pedro lauded Ortiz’s character on and off the field, while expressing anger that someone would attempt to harm him.
“I’m so disappointed to know that someone like David, who has saved so many lives, can have someone after his life,” Martinez said, before being overcome with emotion.
“It hurts me,” Pedro said through his tears. “It hurts me.”
"I don't have enough words to describe who @davidortiz is, what David means to baseball..."
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 11, 2019
An emotional message from @45PedroMartinez regarding his friend and former @RedSox teammate, David Ortiz. pic.twitter.com/ZqrY08Zs3i
Pedro went on to say Ortiz is like a brother to him. Martinez played a major role in the Red Sox signing Ortiz before the 2003 season.
“There’s just one coward out there that just wanted to do that to someone who didn’t deserve it. There’s no place or space to have that against anybody in life.”
“I just can’t take it,” Pedro said. “My heart is with David, his family, and everybody that cares about David.”
Ortiz arrived in Boston late Monday night and will be treated at Massachusetts General Hospital as he recovers from the shooting.
You can hear Matt McCarthy on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s own Hardcore Baseball podcast and on various 98.5 The Sports Hub programs. Follow him on Twitter @MattMcCarthy985.
