MLB.com reports that the former Red Sox right-hander will soon announce his retirement, and he's going out in a way that only Martinez could.
"I'm going to [officially announce it], I'm going to do it, but I want to throw a party too," Martinez told MLB.com. "I want to make it part of every place that I'm going to be remembered and loved by the fans."
The 40-year-old Martinez has indicated over the past couple of years that he'd be open to returning, but the right situation apparently never presented itself. Now, the future Hall of Famer says he's fine with living his life away from baseball.
"I wouldn't say I wouldn't [play again] in any situation, but I find it very difficult for me to come back," Martinez said. "Now I have tasted the normal life, life as a family member, being a family man, being a father. You know what? I like it, honestly. I do miss some of the things in baseball, but not all of it. I think right now my family's my priority."
If Martinez truly is done, it will mark the end of an 18-year career which was, at times, simply brilliant. Martinez's best years came in Boston where he dominated hitters in the height of the so-called steroid era.
In seven seasons with the Red Sox, Martinez went an absurd 117-37. He also averaged 240 strikeouts per season for that time to go along with a tidy 2.52 ERA.
