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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Edgar’s goal? Beat Martinez

Larry LaRue Tacoma News Tribune

CLEVELAND — Edgar Martinez has reconsidered his lack of career goals, and found one that could be reached tonight in Boston.

“I’d like to beat Pedro,” he said, smiling thinly.

Pedro as in Pedro Martinez, the man who is a perfect 12-0 in his career against the Seattle Mariners. Not only haven’t the Mariners ever beaten him, they’ve often gone full seasons without scoring on him. Pedro’s lifetime earned-run average against Seattle: 1.00.

Such numbers fascinate the media and fans, but Mariners hitters insist they don’t think of them at all until the day they face Martinez — or whenever someone in the press brings it up.

“Have I thought about Pedro today?” Ichiro Suzuki asked, repeating a question Thursday. “Not once.”

John Olerud echoed Ichiro, and then puzzled over how he’d done against Pedro in his career.

“I don’t think I ever faced him in Toronto,” Olerud said. “Maybe when I was with the Mets and he was with the Expos, I don’t really know. I can’t tell you if I’ve ever beaten him.”

Bret Boone insisted he’d been on a team — Atlanta — that had beaten Martinez while he was in Montreal, although he acknowledged that seems like a lifetime ago.