It's That Time Of Year

Bill,

My beloved Red Sox reenter the post season for the 1st time in three years with the best record in the American League. Hope springs eternal.

Here's a snippet from Pedro Martinez' interview with Globe on the occasion of his decision to accept a post as a post game commentator. Martinez, the best Red Sox pitcher of his and many other generations, and a deeply religious man, has an equanimity that can only be envied. Would that you and I have the same peace of mind at the end of our careers.

Martinez: "Yes, yes. Baseball was beautiful, the best job ever. But everything has to end. My end came right on time. I feel great, I don't feel like I miss much. I miss competing, and I miss being with my teammates. And the use of time -- it's something that drove me nuts right after I retired, all that free time. But now I've found refuge in fishing, I'm going to start picking up golf, working with the Red Sox in what they ask me to do. And broadcasting is a part of it. This is part of it. Having the opportunity to stay watching baseball and talking about baseball, that is what I love. I'm very lucky."

But you can admit it, right? If John Farrell needed you to come in in the seventh to get a tough righty out as the bridge to Koji Uehara over these next couple of weeks, you've got a couple of bullets left and the guile to still do it, right?

Martinez: [Laughs] "No, no, John has plenty of much younger guys out there who can come in and do it, you'll see. Plenty of good arms, exciting arms. I'm the old man to them. This is their time now."