A minor league team once threatened to fine Pedro Martinez $500 if he was caught jogging, convinced the 135-pound prospect was too fragile to survive. Growing up on dirt floors in Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic, he practiced by throwing oranges, unknowingly building the wrist strength behind his devastating circle changeup. Scouts fixated on his size, but they missed the explosive hip-shoulder separation that generated his velocity.

Traded from the Dodgers, who refused to make him a starter, Martinez blossomed in Montreal and became a legend in Boston during the peak of the steroid era. He later relied on deception and command as his fastball faded.

• Won the 1997 pitching Triple Crown with a 1.90 ERA and over 300 strikeouts
• Struck out the first four batters at the 1999 All-Star Game, including Sosa and McGwire
• Posted a 1.74 ERA and 291 adjusted ERA-plus in 2000, considered a peak season
• Threw six no-hit relief innings on a strained back to win the 1999 ALDS
• Helped break Boston’s 86-year curse in 2004 and entered the Hall of Fame in 2015