Martinez Is Headed to the Mets

At about the time the New York Mets obliged Pedro Martinez a fourth year in a marketplace that would not otherwise bear it and Randy Johnson refused a contract extension from the Arizona Diamondbacks, it appeared that George Steinbrenner wouldn’t stand for all of this Boston Red Sox glee.

Martinez appears done with the Red Sox, who recently -- and reluctantly -- offered three guaranteed seasons to the three-time Cy Young Award winner.

His agent, Fernando Cuza, had attempted to reach Red Sox owner John Henry for much of Monday morning. By midafternoon, team President Larry Lucchino had conceded to the Mets and their approximately $52-million proposal.

One day after Boston first baseman David Ortiz tells the Boston Globe, “He ain’t going to no Mets,” Martinez does just that.

Lucchino called Martinez a “great member of the Red Sox team for seven years,” according to Associated Press.

“He will be missed,” Lucchino said, “and we are disappointed to have lost him to the Mets and the National League.”

Although Martinez, 33, is still one of the best pitchers in the game, the Red Sox suspected his career had begun its gentle decline.

Met General Manager Omar Minaya said Monday, “I’m not going to comment on the reports. We’re having dialogue.”

Unrelated, for the moment, the New York Yankees went back into negotiations for Johnson, who would waive his no-trade clause for a deal to the Yankees.

Unmoved by the weekend additions of Russ Ortiz and Troy Glaus, Johnson told the Diamondbacks that he wasn’t interested in their contract extension offer, which left management with a decision.

It could pitch Johnson on a team it believes will be much better and lose him to free agency the same time next year.

Or, it could pitch Johnson to the Yankees.

And the American League East is tilted again toward the Bronx, what with Martinez gone from the Red Sox, the Diamondbacks drawn to reopen trade talks with the Yankees and The Boss already busying himself buying pitchers in bulk.

As the lights literally went down on baseball’s winter meetings -- the blackout lasted about a minute Monday afternoon, when most general managers rolled their luggage toward home -- the big names had finally come out.

The Yankees, whose payroll is creeping toward $210 million, had the most to gain: Martinez’s flight from the Red Sox, Johnson’s dismissal of the Diamondbacks, more pitchers still out there, the off-season just getting warm and a four-game losing streak to the Red Sox burning a hole in Steinbrenner’s pocket. They remain the favorites to sign Carlos Beltran.

Yankee President Randy Levine and Diamondback CEO-in-waiting Jeff Moorad have done this before, the last time concluding with the Yankees’ public withdrawal. But those close to the Yankees believe these negotiations will end with Johnson leading a revival of a starting rotation that, by the end of last season’s American League championship series, could hardly get out of the second inning.

Presumably, discussions will return to the basic outline as last time: The Yankees will part with right-hander Javier Vazquez, left-hander Brad Halsey, a prospect or two, and a lot of cash.

The Diamondbacks had requested the difference in Johnson’s remaining contract -- $16 million over one season -- and Vazquez’s -- $35.5 million over three -- so $19.5 million to an organization reportedly $300 million in debt.

The Yankees were more inclined to include $12 million, but that was before Diamondback owner Ken Kendrick shelled out almost $80 million for Glaus and Ortiz, leaving some to wonder just how broke the club really is.

Moorad would then be free to shop Vazquez, who was 13-5 for the Yankees until his two-month collapse, or put him in their rotation.

That, of course, would be of little concern to the Yankees, who could have a rotation of Johnson, Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, Kevin Brown and Jaret Wright, with Orlando Hernandez in waiting. They no longer appear to have an interest in Eric Milton, who could land in Cleveland instead, and they’d like to trade Brown.

Free agents Matt Clement, Kevin Millwood, Derek Lowe, Milton and others remain available to the Red Sox, who apparently won’t have Martinez at the top of their rotation for the first time in eight years. They have signed David Wells to go with Curt Schilling, Bronson Arroyo and Tim Wakefield, and their return to the market could complicate the Angels’ run at Clement.

Martinez would become the ace of the Mets, rebuilding under Minaya. When Martinez is signed, he would head a rotation of Tom Glavine, Kris Benson, Victor Zambrano and Steve Trachsel.

If they overspent for Martinez, it would be to revitalize a franchise that had become moribund in the shadows of the Yankees and the Red Sox. Minaya was troubled by the indifference of many top free agents toward the Mets, and believed the acquisition of Martinez might change the perception of the franchise.