PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies were thin on starting pitching in the summer of 2009 when they dispatched two members of their front office to watch Pedro Martinez pitch in the Dominican Republic. Martinez was 37, had struggled the year before, and was injured for most of the season before that. He was at home and practically retired. The scouting reports came back to Philadelphia: Martinez still had it. He joined the rotation in August, the Phillies won his first seven starts, and the future Hall of Famer turned back the clock with a 130-pitch outing before starting three playoff games. It was a success
Proefrock spent 13 seasons with the Phillies, joining them shortly after the 2008 World Series parade and staying on until he was fired in August of 2021. He thought up the idea to sign Martinez, handled the negotiations for pitcher Cliff Lee’s return, and was an assistant to three Phillies GMs. Proefrock specialized in knowing the ins and outs of the major league rule book. He was integral to some of the best teams in franchise history, hung on during the team’s rebuilding process, and was there when Bryce Harper arrived. But after he was let go three years ago, the game rolled on without him.
