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Pedro Martinez: Rubby De La Rosa has chance to be ‘someone special’ 02.23.13 at 7:47 am ET
By Rob Bradford

Rubby De La Rosa has impressed in Red Sox camp. (AP)

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Pedro Martinez has taken to Rubby De La Rosa, and not only because the pair just discovered they’re related (cousins on Pedro’s mother side).

The new Red Sox special assistant and the 23-year-old pitching prospect have been inseparable throughout camp, with Martinez constantly at the ready whenever De La Rosa might need a round of advice. And, besides bloodlines, there’s a reason for the former ace’s interest — he sees a bit of himself in the youngster.

“Anything you want to do in baseball, as far as pitching, that kid has a chance,” Martinez said. “He has an opportunity to be someone special. Not just a regular player, but special. When you see someone like De La Rosa you think someone special, like a [Roger] Clemens, a Juan Marichal. You think about elite players. That’s the type of stuff he has.”

De La Rosa — one of the players who came to the Red Sox in the August trade with the Dodgers — has been the talk of Red Sox spring training. While he is being limited two two-inning outings throughout the Grapefruit League schedule while returning from Tommy John surgery, and will see his innings total hover just over 100 innings in the coming season (most likely for Triple-A Pawtucket), there is an excitement in the organization regarding the righty.

“He’s been impressive, not just in terms of the sheer stuff, but his ability to manipulate the baseball,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said after his team’s workout Friday. “He’s got a good feel for his changeup. He can throw his breaking ball for strikes. But we’re dealing with a set of circumstances that are different than [John Lackey's], coming off Tommy John. We’ll be a little bit more slow-paced with Rubby, but he’s been impressive early on.”

It isn’t the first time De La Rosa has impressed, as was evidenced by comments made by his former minor league pitching coach, Chuck Crim, to WEEI.com’s Alex Speier early in the offseason. (That was when Pedro’s name first came up.)

“Very few guys have that arm speed that Rubby has and still are able to start, carry innings and have a tremendous out-pitch,” said Crim. “I would say a guy like maybe Pedro Martinez. The throw is different, but the stuff is there. You could probably compare his actual stuff but not his [throwing motion] to a guy like that. Granted, it’s going to take Rubby a few years to have all the experience and knowledge of major league pitching, but the stuff you could probably compare to Pedro. I consider the attitude the same — the mound presence is very confident that he can get anybody out. With that guy’s stuff, who wouldn’t be confident?”

And while Martinez prefers to reference the likes of Clemens and Marichal, he isn’t averse to getting in line with Crim’s analysis.

“What really impresses me is his progress,” Pedro said. “He’s a young kid. Very young. The way he changed physically, and the way he improved … His velocity went from day night and day. It’s unbelievable how he changed. Also, his will to work. You rarely see a young kid like that so willing to work, and so open to work to do things things nobody expects a young kid wanting to do.”

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  • mediacrap

    Why don’t we wait and see instead of always jumping the gun and overhyping things.

  • Mentor Martinez

    How lucky is Rubby to have Pedro as your mentor. This will be a great story and you better believe Pedro will put in 100%! This kid could be the next big RED SOX ACE!!!

  • Sox Fan Out West

    Nice to know, but just remember that at this time last year the Red Sox were hyped as the Greatest Team Ever :-)

  • Church Lady DC
  • Schwank

    Exactly.  Even when they downplay expectations the media cannot help themselves.  Tazawa, Mortenson, etc.  Guys I didn’t even think would make the opening day roster of 12-13 pitchers are the being touted as the 2nd comings.  Either that or they are just hyping everthing up so they can deal their bullpen strength for other assets.  If they do that, methinks they should acquire young talent to supplement the future when the kids are ready in ’14 and ’15

  • ChrisinDanvers

    It is great to see Pedro sticking around this team and serving up his advice. Pedro is not your typical guy….he does speak from the heart and say what is on his mind, which used to get him in trouble. If he says that De La Rosa could be special and is all about helping him out, that is great. Looks like he plans to be a part of this team for a long time and has a lot to offer.

  • Uncle Buck

    I would much rather be reading this story with some hope and optimism for the future as opposed to how Beckett, Crawford and Gonzo will earn redemption and earn their keep in a Sox uniform this year.  Thank God Ben dumped that load.  

  • John Bond

    Tough to call Tazawa overhyped after the year he had in 2012. 1.43 ERA  and 0.95 WHIP in  44 innings.   Even Mortensen had a good year last year.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/3SQSOBHYY4RR6MXDNB4CMMKSAA Jack

    Nothing like having a Pedro complementing you.All time high without the drug

  • Fab4ever

    Um, that would have been spring 2011, not 2012…and besides, who cares? In case you don’t know, the media is prone to do exactly this..it’s either all good or all bad..just take the story for what it is…a nice little byline and stop with all the conjecture…breathe! It’s the first game of training….

  • http://twitter.com/JLFCASH John Fahrer

    Actually that was two seasons ago.

  • http://twitter.com/JLFCASH John Fahrer

    He at least does have a sample size in the majors that looks pretty good. Plus being recovered from Tommy John should help him even more.

  • Boring Media Hype

    He’s just a tweaked hammie away from the DL, as all these other ‘athletes’ are.  

  • lafan

    As a dodger fan who watched him progress and go through the recover, i cringed when they traded him. He really has electric stuff. Only will get better. And even if the three we got back play well, if they dont win a ws it was horrible to trade rubby. So good luck to rubby.

  • Pedro

    Lars anderson was also hyped, this stuff means nothing. Brian Taylor of the Yankess was viewed as one of best arms in baseball many years ago and did nothing, this guy could blow out his arm, you just never know with prospects. There could be a sixth round draft choice that turns out to be great, it is a crapshoot

  • Brian

    Uhhh who has been hyping Mortensen?  He’s close to a unanimous DFA option if no injuries hit the bullpen this spring.  Also, Tazawa doesn’t have that much hype considering he was one of the most dominant relievers in baseball last season.  I have no idea why you wouldn’t think Tazawa would make the Opening Day roster, did you watch baseball last year?

  • CurtSchilling

    You’re just a family and job away from saving us from pointless comments.

  • Fab4ever

    Awesome. Nice shot. You can play on my team any day…

  • http://twitter.com/Zj_6 Zack Jones

    Tazawa far from overhyped. If you watched the games toward the end of the season he was downright unfair. Even for Yankee hitters. His stuff is legit and he will thrive in the pen

  • Anonymous

    Well, that’s par for the course.  People commenting on things they know nothing about.  No matter what any writer writes about, there will be people coming on and criticizing it one way or another.  I’ll take a story written to say good things about players anytime.  I love that and always look forward to reading feelgood stories.  And to say Tazawa and Mortenson are not going to have much of a chance to make the team is brainshattering.  Where do the people on these boards come from?  Must have been a broken home or something that went wrong in their life that makes them want to find something wrong with everything.  Why not enjoy life and look for good things instead of looking for something to complain about.  Oh, sorry, I guess I shouldn’t be trying to get people to change to my way of thinking, like looking for the good things in life.

  • Felgie

    Its the redsox here…he is going to be stuck in the minors until he is 27. 

  • Buddy

    I totally agree with Pedro.  I have read and scouted Rubby as a layman and he is the real deal.  He was the one I was excited about when I heard about the trade with the Dodgers.  If he is brought along correctly he will be a dominant pitcher in the MLB, hopefully staying in Boston.  I can truthfully say he will be mentioned in the same sentence as King Felix and Verlander in the years to come.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WW4SUGV5J6Y7R5MVPAWVIWAJFU Dennis

    Actually this hype should’nt be blamed on the media.Pedro is the one that has really been hyping this kid.But comparing him to the very best such as Pedro and Clemons is a little much at this time.Time will tell maybe several years.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WW4SUGV5J6Y7R5MVPAWVIWAJFU Dennis

    I agree on Tazawa,he was lights out when he pitched.

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