Castro surprised by childhood hero in interview
TORONTO -- Miguel Castro had a surprise meeting with his idol Pedro Martinez on MLB Network on Monday.:: Players' Weekend presented by Valspar Stain ::
The Orioles' Dominican reliever was chatting with Greg Amsinger about his Players' Weekend jersey that will feature a patch to commemorate the legendary Dominican pitcher, when Martinez surprised him for a brief interview.
"It was incredible to meet him," Castro said. "I still can't believe it. I admire everything from him. The way he goes about his game, how he prepares, how he attacks the hitter, how he's always in command and he's aggressive with his pitches. I love everything about it."
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Martinez racked up 219 wins with a 2.93 ERA and three Cy Young awards over his 18-year Major League career. He became just the second Dominican player elected into the Hall of Fame in 2015, joining Juan Marichal and later Vladimir Guerrero.
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"He's a mirror. That is the best description I can give," Castro said "[He's] someone you can look up to, someone you can hopefully be one day… [and] try to do the things that he accomplished. He's someone everyone's proud of back home."
Castro still has a way to go before he's put in the same conversation as Martinez. He's posted a 4.12 ERA in his four years in the Major Leagues, but it wasn't until his age 24 season that Martinez made his first All-Star appearance, so it's still possible for the 23-year-old Castro.