Santo Domingo-born 29-year old Pedro Martínez again won the most coveted award for pitchers in Major League baseball, the Cy Young of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. This is the third Cy Young award for the Boston Red Sox right-hander in the last four seasons. The first he won playing for the Montreal Expos of the National League in 1997. Martínez had traveled yesterday to Boston to be in the US on the voting day. He announced by phone that he would return today and would offer a local press conference. Hoy newspaper quotes him saying: "I dedicate this award to my people. To all fans that pray for me, for my health and so that I win many games with Boston." Pedro Martinez ended the season with 18 wins and six losses. In 217 innings, batters were only able to slip in 128 hits. Martínez (ERA 1.74) led the league with 284 strikeouts and four shutouts. The Cy Young award was good for a US$500,000 bonus, on top of his US$11 million salary. For more information and Pedro Martínez stats, see http://foxsports.com/baseball/players/m/4875.sml
