Red Sox Close to Getting Martinez
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Boston Red Sox seem to have emerged as the leader in the Pedro Martinez sweepstakes, sources from several organizations said Sunday night.
The Red Sox have apparently agreed to trade three of their top pitching prospects--Carl Pavano, Rafael Orellano and Peter Munro--for the Montreal Expo ace. Pavano is one of the top prospects in baseball. Munro is eligible to be selected in Tuesday’s expansion draft, but the Red Sox are believed to have made a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays not to select him in return for future compensation, sources said.
The Expos are trading Martinez, the National League’s Cy Young award winner, for financial reasons. Martinez will be eligible for free agency after the 1998 season. His availability has attracted most of the large-revenue clubs.
The Dodgers, unwilling to trade either Paul Konerko or Adrian Beltre and concerned about Martinez’s future salary demands, had dropped out before Sunday.
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