Pedro Got Papi to Red Sox

Some real “inside baseball,” now. It’s the story of how Pedro Martinez, already a Red Sox legend on the field, greatly impacted Red Sox history off the field, too.

With 500 career home runs under his belt now (442 coming as a Red Sox batter), it’s difficult for most fans to imagine this club without David Ortiz. All the more so when you consider Ortiz’ contributions in the postseason.

But how did Ortiz wind up in Boston in the first place? It turns out it started with one phone call from Pedro Martinez.

After being cut from the Twins in 2002, Ortiz ran into the Red Sox ace at dinner. Ortiz wasn’t sure his career would continue. After they spoke, however, Pedro called Red Sox president Larry Lucchino, who set the wheels in motion to bring about the phenomenon we know today as Big Papi.

Dan Roche and Tony Massarotti told the story as they reminisced about Ortiz’s arrival in Boston on Inside Baseball on Boston station WBZ-TV.