Martin Faces a Rough Road

Now comes the hard first step for Al Martin--facing his San Diego Padre teammates and the media after his arrest on charges that he exchanged punches with a woman who claims they were married in Las Vegas nearly two years ago.

Martin remained in seclusion Wednesday, the day after he was charged with assault on Shawn Haggerty-Martin. General Manager Kevin Towers hopes Martin is back in camp today after the bizarre turn of events that led to Martin and Haggerty-Martin spending Monday night in jail in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“He needs to get back here and in uniform,” Towers said. “I think he needs to get back with his players. He’s got support here from this ballclub.”

Still, Towers knows that it’s going to be hard for Martin, the Padres’ new leadoff hitter and left fielder, to get on with his life and career.

Towers and Padre owner John Moores met with Martin and his wife, Cathy, for about 1 1/2 hours Tuesday, after his initial court appearance. Towers described Martin as “very quiet, very set back.”

“I’m sure a lot of things are going through his mind. I think he’s scared,” Towers said.

Martin, obtained in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Feb. 23, issued a statement Tuesday night through his agent, Jeff Moorad, categorically denying the charges against him.

“He’s made the statement, but he’s going to have to face this head-on,” Towers said. “It’s not going to be easy. I think he realizes that. Until he gets an opportunity to face you all and tell his side of the story, it’s not going to go away.”

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Kerry Wood of the Chicago Cubs will pitch again today. When he’ll pitch again in the big leagues is still anybody’s guess.

The 1998 National League rookie of the year, who made his first start Saturday less than a year after reconstructive elbow surgery, will work out at the Cubs’ spring training facility in Mesa, Ariz., as part of his rehabilitation program.

Though Wood is progressing well, Manager Don Baylor said the Cubs still haven’t set a date for Wood’s return to the lineup.

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Infielder Chris Clapinski became the sixth Florida Marlin player to contract mumps this spring, joining pitchers Alex Fernandez, Antonio Alfonseca, Dan Miceli and Armando Almanza and outfielder Brant Brown.

Clapinski was quarantined in Melbourne, Fla. Though he had no shot at making the team, the fear is that even more players may come down with the virus.

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The agent for Minnesota Twin right-hander Brad Radke said Radke is done negotiating on a contract extension until after the season, increasing the possibility the Twins will trade him or lose him to free agency. The Twins’ last offer was for$21 million over three years. . . . Rather than search for another team, outfielder Tim Raines, 39, has told New York Yankee teammates that he intends to retire. . . . The Yankees acquired right-hander Christian Parker from the Montreal Expos as the final player to be named in the trade for pitcher Hideki Irabu.