Looks like the Mets offering a 4th year was the deciding factor Pedro agrees to terms on 4-year, $50m deal with Mets By Boston.com Staff | December 13, 2004 It appears Pedro Martinez has pitched his final game in a Red Sox uniform. Three major league sources confirmed to the Boston Globe that Martinez and the Mets agreed to terms on a four-year, $50 million deal this afternoon. The contract is pending Martinez passing a physical. The Red Sox resigned themselves today to losing the three-time Cy Young Award winner. "He was a great member of the Red Sox team for seven years, and a certain Hall of Famer," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino told The Associated Press in an e-mail. "He will be missed, and we are disappointed to have lost him to the Mets and the National League." Martinez's agent, Fernando Cuza, told the Mets he would attempt to work out a deal with them after New York guaranteed a fourth year, a person involved in the talks said on condition of anonymity. Mets general manager Omar Minaya expressed confidence about the negotiations with Martinez, but wouldn't detail the discussions. Minaya then left baseball's winter meetings and returned to New York, and the sides will work by telephone to finalize the contract language. Martinez helped pitch Boston to its first World Series title since 1918, but Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein refused to increase the team's offer in the past two days. Boston's final proposal was a $30.5 million, three-year deal that contained a club option for 2008, a baseball official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. At the Anaheim Marriott, where baseball’s winter meetings are taking place, Mets general manager Omar Minaya would not confirm nor deny reports his team had agreed with Martinez, or if they had even offered him a fourth year. He told the Boston Globe's Gordon Edes he would not comment on negotiations. "On that front, all I'm going to say is we're having dialogue," Minaya said. He added: "There comes a point where you have to have some closure, we're working as hard as we can." The Mets initially offered Martinez a three-year deal worth $37.5 million plus a $12.5 million for 2008. Now that Martinez is apparently headed to New York, there were indications the Red Sox not only turned their attention back to Edgar Renteria, but that they were again close to a deal with the star free-agent shortstop. Well, we have heard about other big names changing teams like Pavano to the Yankees, Renteria to the Red Sox, and Hudson to the Dodgers but so far none of those guys are "officially" on their new teams. So, the same thing could be true about this one, but I have my doubts. If this does go down, I will miss Pedro and I am very appreciative of the 7 seasons he had with the Red Sox. However, I think the Red Sox are making the right decision here. Committing 4 years to a small in stature, oft-injured, prideful, diva-like 34 year old is nuts. I wish Pedro well but am not too sure if the Mets are real contenders in the National League even with him on their team.
Fun fact: Roger Clemens was 34 years old when Dan Duquette famously declared that Clemens was in the "twilight of his career" and let him leave to Toronto.
You beat me to the edit, Sam, as one place said that Pedro is 33 (he might turn 34 before the season starts). That is an eerie coincidence but I don't think that Clemens ever had the injury history that Pedro did. It sucks that he took as long as he did as that now means Boston lost out on both Pavano and Hudson (more than likely). David Wells as the #2 starter?? shudders Surely Theo has something in mind.
Sucks to be the Red Sox. They better get on the ball and bring in a couple more arms. I still can't believe they gave as much money to Wells as they did. Have they got Renteria locked up yet?
