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ANAHEIM, Calif. - Pedro Martinez closed in on a four-year deal with the New York Mets, and the Boston Red Sox resigned themselves Monday 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 will 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.
"The good news is that we're still in dialogue," Minaya said. "Every day that goes by and we are having dialogue is a good day."
Minaya then left baseball's winter meetings and returned to New York, and the sides will work by telephone to finalize the contract language. Cuza did not want to comment on the talks.
Martinez helped pitch Boston to its first World Series title since 1918, but Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said he refused to increase the team's offer in the past two days.
"We wish Pedro nothing but the best going forward both on the field and off the field," Boston owner John Henry said in an e-mail. "He pitched with every ounce of his being for the Red Sox over the course of 216 games. Some of those performances were among the most memorable in Red Sox history. Who will ever forget the 1999 All-Star game? He has earned everything that he has accomplished, including his World Series ring and his reputation as one of the greatest who ever lived."
Martinez, 33, must pass a physical before the Mets complete the deal.
New York initially offered a $37.5 million, three-year contract with a $12.5 million team option for 2008.
Boston's final proposal was a $40.5 million, three-year deal that contained a club option for 2008, a baseball official said, also on condition of anonymity. The Red Sox thought the Mets' offer was for $56 million over four years, the official said, but a Mets official said that figure was not correct.
"We put our best foot forward and made an offer that makes sense to the club," Epstein said. "We think it's a fair and generous offer."
Landing Martinez would be the splashiest move made by the Mets since Minaya became general manager in late September. A six-time All-Star with Montreal and the Red Sox, Martinez has a 182-76 record and 2.71 ERA in a 13-year major league career that began with Los Angeles in 1992. Minaya, who also is Dominican, visited Martinez in his homeland last month.
Martinez would join a Mets' rotation that includes two-time Cy Young winner Tom Glavine, Kirk Benson, Steve Trachsel and Victor Zambrano.
Glavine was surprised Martinez would leave a World Series winner but was happy with the decision.
"The more quality guys you have in your rotation, the more everybody feeds off everybody else," Glavine said. "All those years in Atlanta, you always had the pressure to keep up with everybody, but you knew if you had a bad game, you had the luxury of knowing somebody behind you would have a good game."
The Mets have slumped badly since losing to the Yankees in the 2000 World Series, finishing last in the NL East in 2002 and 2003, then going 71-91 last season for their third straight losing record.
"We certainly can be in contention if all five guys in the rotation stay healthy and pitch up to their capability," Glavine said. "We'll be in position where every night we have a quality guy starting."
Minaya also is trying to add a position player, and there have been talks to acquire Sammy Sosa from the Chicago Cubs, possibly for Cliff Floyd.
"It certainly would be nice if we can add a bat or two," Glavine said.
Martinez's time in Boston was electrifying from the start, as he piled up the Cy Youngs and strikeouts and brought a Latin beat to Fenway Park. But he has also was temperamental, complaining about contract negotiations and slights from a few fans among the thousands of admirers.
His departure leaves the Red Sox to defend their title with a rotation that currently includes Curt Schilling, David Wells, Tim Wakefield and Bronson Arroyo.
Derek Lowe, who became the first pitcher to win three postseason clinchers in one year, became a free agent.
"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 will 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.
"The good news is that we're still in dialogue," Minaya said. "Every day that goes by and we are having dialogue is a good day."
Minaya then left baseball's winter meetings and returned to New York, and the sides will work by telephone to finalize the contract language. Cuza did not want to comment on the talks.
Martinez helped pitch Boston to its first World Series title since 1918, but Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said he refused to increase the team's offer in the past two days.
"We wish Pedro nothing but the best going forward both on the field and off the field," Boston owner John Henry said in an e-mail. "He pitched with every ounce of his being for the Red Sox over the course of 216 games. Some of those performances were among the most memorable in Red Sox history. Who will ever forget the 1999 All-Star game? He has earned everything that he has accomplished, including his World Series ring and his reputation as one of the greatest who ever lived."
Martinez, 33, must pass a physical before the Mets complete the deal.
New York initially offered a $37.5 million, three-year contract with a $12.5 million team option for 2008.
Boston's final proposal was a $40.5 million, three-year deal that contained a club option for 2008, a baseball official said, also on condition of anonymity. The Red Sox thought the Mets' offer was for $56 million over four years, the official said, but a Mets official said that figure was not correct.
"We put our best foot forward and made an offer that makes sense to the club," Epstein said. "We think it's a fair and generous offer."
Landing Martinez would be the splashiest move made by the Mets since Minaya became general manager in late September. A six-time All-Star with Montreal and the Red Sox, Martinez has a 182-76 record and 2.71 ERA in a 13-year major league career that began with Los Angeles in 1992. Minaya, who also is Dominican, visited Martinez in his homeland last month.
Martinez would join a Mets' rotation that includes two-time Cy Young winner Tom Glavine, Kirk Benson, Steve Trachsel and Victor Zambrano.
Glavine was surprised Martinez would leave a World Series winner but was happy with the decision.
"The more quality guys you have in your rotation, the more everybody feeds off everybody else," Glavine said. "All those years in Atlanta, you always had the pressure to keep up with everybody, but you knew if you had a bad game, you had the luxury of knowing somebody behind you would have a good game."
The Mets have slumped badly since losing to the Yankees in the 2000 World Series, finishing last in the NL East in 2002 and 2003, then going 71-91 last season for their third straight losing record.
"We certainly can be in contention if all five guys in the rotation stay healthy and pitch up to their capability," Glavine said. "We'll be in position where every night we have a quality guy starting."
Minaya also is trying to add a position player, and there have been talks to acquire Sammy Sosa from the Chicago Cubs, possibly for Cliff Floyd.
"It certainly would be nice if we can add a bat or two," Glavine said.
Martinez's time in Boston was electrifying from the start, as he piled up the Cy Youngs and strikeouts and brought a Latin beat to Fenway Park. But he has also was temperamental, complaining about contract negotiations and slights from a few fans among the thousands of admirers.
His departure leaves the Red Sox to defend their title with a rotation that currently includes Curt Schilling, David Wells, Tim Wakefield and Bronson Arroyo.
Derek Lowe, who became the first pitcher to win three postseason clinchers in one year, became a free agent.
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