He’s Back.

He's back. We haven't seen him since he won game 3 of the 2004 World Series in St. Louis to help end a Curse and bring joy to the long suffering Nation. Pedro Martinez, the shining star of Dan Duquette's reign as GM with the Olde Town Team and the dominant pitcher of what is now the "steroid" era, returns to the stage at Fenway Park on Wednesday to take on his old mates. This time he does so as a member of the New York Mets, a team that has a special place in the souls of Red Sox fans from the heartbreaking World Series in 1986 that extended a Curse.

The champagne had not even dried from the championship celebrations in October 2004 before the Pedro controversy began. While Messrs. Lucchino and company - emboldened by bringing a championship to our fair city only three years after Bud Selig hand delivered the team to them - paraded the World Series trophy around New England a la Bob Kraft, the talk show hoopla over Pedro's free agency began. Is he done? What about his shoulder? Can he still produce? Can he and Curt Schilling co-exist? While Boy Wonder Theo Epstein pondered those decisions for the front office, Pedro returned home with only one thing on his mind: Respect. It came down to just the Red Sox and the Mets. In this era respect is measured by dollar signs. Unlike in 1986 when the Sox were only one strike away with the Mets, this time they fell millions short in the respect department and Pedro was gone.

Pedro in Boston was like nothing we've seen in our lifetimes. Dominant like nobody has dominated before (especially in light of the juiced balls and juiced biceps that make his accomplishments even more remarkable), every time he took the mound it was an event. He was ours. Fans young and old wore "#45" jerseys and cheered for every "Punchado". Fathers brought their sons to be dazzled by the 5'9" Dominican with the amazing abilities. He was adored at every turn. Elvis never had it so good. Pedro had it all; talent, charisma, and the ability to make great copy with his need for extra vacations and special treatment. He's ours no more. Now, just as the Beatles rocked Shea Stadium in 1965, so does Pedro rock it every fifth day. But Wednesday we get to take it all in one more time.