Another Cy Young for Boston’s Martinez

Pedro Martinez became the first pitcher to win the American League Cy Young Award unanimously in consecutive years.

Martinez, who has won three Cy Youngs Awards in the last four seasons, received all 28 first-place votes for 140 points in voting released Monday by the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America.

“I’m really honored and flattered to be chosen unanimously as the winner,” Martinez said. “It is equally special and equally important to last year.”

Oakland’s Tim Hudson finished second with 54 points, getting 16 seconds and six thirds. David Wells of Toronto was third with 46 points, followed by Andy Pettitte of the Yankees (seven) and Detroit’s Todd Jones (three).

Martinez went 18-6 with a 1.74 earned-run average--nearly two runs better than Roger Clemens’ second-best AL mark of 3.70. It was the lowest ERA by an AL starter since Luis Tiant’s 1.60 ERA in 1968.

Last year, Martinez went 23-4 with a 2.07 ERA to become only the fourth pitcher to win the AL Cy Young Award unanimously. He joined Gaylord Perry and Randy Johnson as the only pitchers to win the honor in each league. Martinez won it in 1997 for Montreal.

“I think he had a better year this year,” Red Sox Manager Jimy Williams said. “You can’t just look at his wins and losses.”

Martinez joined Clemens as the only pitchers to win the award unanimously twice, but Clemens did his 12 years apart: in 1986 for Boston and 1998 for Toronto. Ron Guidry of the Yankees was the unanimous winner in 1978 and McLain in 1968.

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The New York Mets pulled out of the Alex Rodriguez sweepstakes, saying some of his contract demands would make him unable to fit in with the rest of the team.

Agent Scott Boras has asked teams for an office in the home stadium for Rodriguez’s marketing team, space to sell his own paraphernalia and charter jet service for family and friends.

“It’s about 25 players working as a team,” Met General Manager Steve Phillips said. “The 24 plus one-man structure really doesn’t work. I don’t mean to cast aspersions on Alex Rodriguez. But I don’t think you can give different rules and separate one player from the rest of the team.”

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The Cleveland Indians pulled their seven-year, $119-million offer to Manny Ramirez and said they would aggressively pursue other free agents.

General Manager John Hart said that if Ramirez eventually decides he wants to stay in Cleveland, the Indians won’t pay him a penny over the $17 million-per-season offer he has already rejected.

“He’s not going to come here for more,” Hart said. “Our offer has been pulled and we are in the business of going forward and building our team for ’01 and beyond.”

The Indians also exercised club options on three players: center fielder Kenny Lofton and relievers Paul Shuey and Ricardo Rincon.

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Former major league manager Jim Fregosi was hired by the Atlanta Braves to be special assistant to General Manager John Schuerholz. . . . The Toronto Blue Jays signed right-hander Jason Dickson to a minor-league contract. Dickson was 2-2 with a 6.11 ERA in six starts for the Angels last season.

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Not Even Close

Voting for the 2000 American League Cy Young Award, with pitchers receiving five points for each first-place vote, three points for second and one point for third:

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Player 1st 2nd 3rd Tot Pedro Martinez, Boston 28 0 0 140 Tim Hudson, Oakland 0 16 6 54 David Wells, Toronto 0 12 10 46 Andy Pettitte, New York 0 0 7 7 Todd Jones, Detroit 0 0 3 3 Roger Clemens, New York 0 0 1 1 Mike Mussina, Baltimore 0 0 1 1

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