Pedro challenges Don Zimmer to UFC fight

NEW YORK CITY, NY — With rumors circulating about a possible retirement following the 2008-2009 MLB season, New York Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez gave a possible hint as to his post-baseball plans when he challenged former New York Yankees manager Don Zimmer to a mixed martial arts fight at UFC 87: Seek and Destroy, in August.

The 37-year-old, three-time Cy Young Award winner told SSNN that this brawl has been brewing for a while now.

“Zimm and I have unfinished business from 2003, and at this point I think it can only be worked out in the cage. He’s got three months to man up,” Martinez said of the 77-year-old retiree. “I was his Papi then, and I’ll prove that I’m still his Papi now.”

The “unfinished business” that Martinez is referring to dates back to Game 3 of the 2003 ALCS, when Martinez’s Boston Red Sox were facing their arch-rival New York Yankees, for whom Zimmer was a bench coach. During a bench-clearing brawl, the then 72-year-old charged towards Martínez, who sidestepped the old man’s advance and threw him to the ground. Both have since apologized for the incident – which received a lot of mainstream media coverage – but clearly Martinez still feels that the issue is unresolved.

Martinez was an instrumental member of the Boston Red Sox team that broke the famed “Curse of the Bambino” in 2004, helping them attain their first World Series title since 1918. The following year, Martinez was traded to the New York Mets and has never quite returned to form, thanks in large part to a string of injuries.

Zimmer currently resides in Florida where he is employed with the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Tracked down at his home and told of Martinez’s intentions, the former Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers skipper blankly asked, “What’s a Pedro Martinez?”

Unfortunately, before SSNN could explain the situation or remind him of his challenger’s identity, Zimmer realized he was not wearing pants and grew angry that his, “Jello time,” had been interrupted. The furious Zimmer then stormed outside, where he proceeded to have an emotionally charged conversation with a mailbox.

It’s going to be tough for this sport to sweep any nations, but it’s still pretty frickin’ cool!