Incidentally, I don’t agree with the implication that since he’s earning $17.5 million Pedro should shut up and “know his place”, because the ownership has so generously given him money. Bull. The ownership pays him $17.5 million not because they’re kind-hearted, but because they (or at least, whoever negotiated the previous contract) believe that’s at least how much he can bring in to the club - in terms of sales of Martinez 45 jerseys, extra Fenway tickets if he pitches well enough to bring the Sox into the post-season. $17.5 million is a lot of money, but just because he’s paid well doesn’t mean he must shut up. (Now, as to whether speaking out - and risking the bad PR - was a good tactic, we shall see.)
All this doesn’t mean I necessarily want Pedro to re-sign. Or to resign, for that matter. I’m worried about his on/off performances (and concomitantly the fact that his curveball sometimes shows up and sometimes doesn’t) and his 4+ ERA. But for me, it’s all what he does on the field. (Unless his words affect that most ephemeral of things, team “chemistry”, so much that it affects performance.)
Having said all that, I have faith that Theo, John W Henry, and the rest of Sox management will get a good price and won’t overpay for Pedro. Theo’s statement was a masterful model of dignity:
“We respect our players. We tell our players the truth. We listen to our players. We protect our players. We negotiate with our players in good faith, and we make every effort not to discuss these negotiations in public. We want our players to succeed, and we do everything we can to help them win.
Sometimes, however, our commitment to building winning teams, every year, means that we will have disagreements with our players about the length and precise value of their next contracts. These disagreements are unfortunate but they are inevitable. They will be resolved in time. In the meantime, we continue to focus on our most important mission: winning.”
No criticism of Pedro, no disrespect, shows a measured understanding that this is merely a dispute over perceived value. Theo rocks.