"Pedro Martinez believes he might be the most influential player ever to perform in the Bronx. And while Martinez is sorry he tossed Don Zimmer to the ground when the benches cleared during the 2003 ALCS, the former Red Sox ace placed the fault squarely on Zimmer.

"I'm sorry I'm going to recall this, because it was an ugly scene," Martinez said on the eve of his World Series start in Game 2 Thursday night against the Yankees with a chance to put the Phillies up 2-0. "This is probably the first time I'm ever going to talk about it publicly. But when Zim came over to me, I thought he was going to just give me advice or something, just '...You need to slow down or something,' or try to make it look a little bit different.

"But, at that time, I'm going to be honest right now, my shoulder was barking. I was pitching on three days' rest, I think. It was two men on. I loaded the bases with a hit by pitch that wasn't a hit by pitch. The ball hit the bat of Karim Garcia, and Zim charged me, and I think he's going to say something.

"But his reaction was totally the opposite. (Zimmer) was trying to punch my mouth and told me a couple of bad words about my mom. I just had to react and defend myself."

A year later, Martinez said, he was still incensed about how he was perceived in New York. He took that to the mound with him when he came in to relieve in Game 7 of the ALCS the following year.

The news accounts "made me look like a monster that just came in to play (at) Yankee Stadium," Martinez said. "...I remember getting back to my dugout and seeing middle fingers. My mom, poor mom. I'm glad she's blessed by God, because all those curses were unbelievable."

Martinez also said the media have created his unrivaled stature in New York.

"I don't know if you realize this, but because of you guys in some ways, I might be at times the most influential player that ever stepped in Yankee Stadium," Martinez said. "I can honestly say that. I mean, I have been a big fan of baseball for a long time, since I was a kid. My first ball I ever got from a big-league player I actually got to purchase in Dodger Stadium in a silent auction, was Reggie Jackson. I was actually a big fan of the Yankees, too."