Lucchino said he could not say with certainty whether Martinez's agent, Fernando Cuza, would be present, and while Cuza did not return a message yesterday, there's a strong likelihood he will be with Martinez and the Sox brass will make a concerted push in some fashion to persuade the free agent pitcher to return to the club.
"I don't have a time frame in mind," Lucchino said when asked if he'd like to sign Martinez before the start of the winter meetings Friday. "We're hopeful that we're able to sign Pedro, but beyond that I don't want to make any public comments about the negotiations."
The Sox also plan to offer salary arbitration today to all four of their front-line free agents -- Martinez, catcher Jason Varitek, shortstop Orlando Cabrera, and pitcher Derek Lowe -- ensuring that the club will receive draft choices as compensation in case any of the four (all Type A) signs with another club. For any Type A free agent signed by another team, the Sox are ensured of receiving a first-round "sandwich" pick -- a selection made after the first round but before the second, plus the signing club's first- or second-round pick, depending on where it finished in the standings.
The Sox are not expected to re-sign Lowe, who was not part of the team's rally last night in Fort Myers, the team's Florida spring training home and the place where Lowe maintains his offseason home. After an initial mixup, one club official said, Lowe was invited to attend but declined. Last spring, Lowe rejected a three-year, $27 million offer from the Sox. An official with another club said yesterday that Lowe is seeking a four-year deal for an average $12 million a season, which would parallel the deal the Angels gave Bartolo Colon last season.
Boston's primary competition for Martinez at this stage remains the New York Mets, and there are indications Mets GM Omar Minaya also will meet with Martinez and his agent tomorrow.
