Some may say that the name of Boston Red Sox Baseball is “Nomar,” however, there is no doubt that the name of Red Sox pitching is “Pedro.” Marquee starting pitcher Pedro Martinez is coming off an injury-free, ace-like 2002. Since coming to the Red Sox for the 1998 season, Martinez has become an icon on the team, in the city and in the American League. He lifted the Sox as consistent playoff contenders and has averaged over 17 wins per season in the last five years. Throughout his career, he has established himself as one of the most feared pitchers in baseball. With all of these credits to his name, why aren’t the Red Sox jumping at the chance to keep their star pitcher through 2004?
On several different occasions since last May, Martinez has expressed his displeasure with the amount of time it has taken for the team to pick up the club option. As the weeks before the start of Spring Training dwindled, talk of the untouched option began to heat up again. A week and a half ago, Martinez held a press conference from Red Sox camp in Fort Myers to address the issue with the media. He appeared anxious to get the contract behind him, as well as stating that he would not return if the team waited until after the season to pick up the option.
Pedro told mlb.com “I will definitely not come back after that one year if they wait until November. If they wait until November to pick up my option, I’ll wait and see what happens somewhere else. If they don’t pick up my option or pick up whatever negotiations are going on, I’m definitely not coming back to Boston.”
The reason that Sox officials have been slow in picking up Martinez’s option for 2004 is because of the lapses in his health over the last few years. 2001 proved to be Martinez’s weariest year wearing the Boston uniform, as he was limited to only 18 starts and 116 innings with a small tear in his rotator cuff. Prior to the 2002 season, Pedro adjusted his winter workout program in order to get into better, more durable shape for the year. The conditioning paid off as he compiled a 20-4 record, a 2.26 ERA, almost 200 innings, and 239 strikeouts. Martinez even finished second in Cy Young voting to Oakland’s Barry Zito. Despite the bounce-back year, it was only the first time since 1998 that Pedro avoided the disabled list.
Citing his tenure with the team, Martinez also told the website, “It’s because it should be a respect matter. It’s a matter of respect. I believe a player like me should be recognized. Look back at the years I’ve put up here, I deserve that.”
Pedro, in the final year of a six-year, $75 million contract, would make $17.5 million next year if the Sox pick up his option. Before the Red Sox make such a large investment, they would like to see how well their star pitcher holds up through most of this season. It will be difficult to negotiate with Pedro after next month, as he has already stated that he does not want to talk about the contract when the regular season begins. “I’m not talking after Spring Training. I’m not talking. I want to be left alone once I start playing baseball,” stated Martinez. “That could be a distraction for me and a distraction for the team.”
In the last few days, however, Martinez has backed off of his stern attitude about leaving no matter what the circumstances, and is hopeful that something will be done that makes him happy.
The bottom line is that Pedro Martinez has been one of, if not the most dominant pitchers in the American League for the last five years. This is the point in a career such as Pedro’s, that a team is supposed to reward its player for all that he has provided. In this case the reward would be an extended contract. Despite his success, and the foolishness of letting a player of Pedro’s expertise slip away, he may not be worth the money because of his uncertain health or the long-term deal he also seeks.
Despite the uncertainty, it would be in the Red Sox’s best interest to hang on to Pedro for at least another season. When Martinez is healthy and at his best, he can carry a team, and is a key component to the Sox getting to the World Series. While Derek Lowe posted a convincing 21 wins, one more than Pedro, he does not even come close to the ace of the staff. A wise move would to make a trade during the season for a big-name pitcher to serve as number two, or even as insurance for a Martinez departure.
A star Red Sox player is disgruntled with the lack of confidence that management has in his future playing abilities. I think I’ve seen this before. Oh yeah, from that chunky Babe Ruth fella and that guy Clemens who was at the “twilight” of his career. I’m sure the Sox were better off without the man who has the second most career home runs in history and a future Hall of Famer who picked up three more Cy Youngs and two World Series rings. Pedro in Pinstripes? I wouldn’t go that far yet; but you never know.