The Orioles offered $2 million less over the same amount of years while the Red Sox were a distant third in the chase, if not fourth behind the White Sox. The Red Sox gave Martinez two choices: three years and $36 million or $42 million over four.
Martinez is one of the best offensive catchers in the game, hitting .302 last season with 29 home runs and 79 RBIs despite missing a month with a broken left thumb. After being acquired from Cleveland midway through the 2009 season, Martinez quickly became a presence in the middle of the lineup and in the club house.
But the Red Sox had two concerns. Martinez will turn 32 in December, an age when catchers historically start to decline because of the physical demands of their position. They also had reservations about his defense.
Martinez threw out only 27 of 99 base-stealers last season and pitchers had a 4.28 earned run average throwing to him. Opponents had a .738 OPS with Martinez behind the plate, just above the American League average.
With other catchers, Sox pitchers had a 4.05 ERA and opponents a .706 OPS. Several Sox pitchers, particularly Josh Beckett and John Lackey, appeared uncomfortable working with Martinez.
For now, what Martinez provides offensively outweighs his shortcomings defensively. But that gap is expected to close as he ages.
The Sox also were motivated by getting two picks in the 2011 amateur draft as compensation for Martinez. Unless Detroit signs a higher-ranked free agent, which is unlikely, the Sox will get the Tigers’ first-round pick, No. 19 overall, along with a supplemental first-round pick.
To guarantee that compensation, the Sox offered Martinez salary arbitration yesterday. They also offered arbitration to free agents Adrian Beltre and Felipe Lopez.
The Sox, who balance the present with building for the future, view the upcoming draft as a strong one and want to amass picks.
Bill Hall and Jason Varitek were not offered arbitration. Those players are still free to sign with the Red Sox, however.
In the case of Varitek, that could be exactly what the Sox are hoping.
