Martinez blasts Schilling, Red Sox, ‘arrogant’ Epstein:
hehehe…
… Martinez criticized the negotiating tactics of Red Sox officials, saying he repeatedly got mixed signals from team president Larry Lucchino, owner John Henry and General Manager Theo Epstein, whom he called “arrogant.”
Pedro calling someone arrogant – that’s a good one! Pot, meet Kettle.
… He said he left the Red Sox after seven years partly because he didn’t want to be second in the starting rotation behind Schilling, who was acquired last offseason and helped lead the team to its first World Series championship in 86 years.
“I told [Henry], ‘You want to sign me, get it done. Please force them to get it done. I’m willing to stay here. Negotiate with them. I just don’t want to be under Schilling,” Martinez said.
He also said he deserved a better deal than Schilling.
“Schilling is 38, I’m only 33,” he said. “The fact that I had an off-year doesn’t mean that I can be below Schilling. Still, with an off-year, I’m way over Schilling as a pitcher and I’ve pitched pretty much like Schilling the last few years, if you’re going to talk about durability.”
The consummate team player, that Pedro. Humble, dignified… beloved by many Red Sox fans for essentially being a punk. How I love thee!
“I hope he is gone,” Martinez said of Varitek. “I hope ‘Tek is on my team.”
Asked whether that meant he wanted to get rid of current Mets catcher Mike Piazza, Martinez said, “I do want Piazza, too. Piazza is a good hitter. We can move him to first or somewhere. … I want ‘Tek. ‘Tek is a good player, a good catcher.”
Already starting to get on the nerves of your new teammates AND telling the front office how to do their job, eh? Oh yeah, that Piazza guy who’s been here for a while and is one of the best hitting catchers ever… oh yeah, that guy, well… we can move him to first or somewhere else, who cares as long as I have The Masked Man, ‘Tek? Oh, boy… good luck Mets! Poor Willie.
He said Red Sox manager Terry Francona played a small role in managing the team, taking his cues from the team’s front office.
“Francona is subject to what they decide,” Martinez said. “Francona had no say, like he didn’t have any say in managing the team. He was manipulated from upstairs.”
Asked for evidence to back that assertion, he said, “I was in the clubhouse, that’s how I know.”
Somewhere, George Steinbrenner is smiling.