From Heyman's column today:
Pedro Martinez is continuing to be patient, and is hopeful that reputation plus team desperation will be the winning formula to get the contract he seeks, which is $5 million and up. According to a friend of Martinez's, he's "in no hurry" and more than willing to wait well into the season, if that's what it takes. So far, he is said to be receiving "bottom feeding" offers, which probably means about $1 million. The Dodgers, Indians, Pirates, Astros and Mets are seen as possibilities now.
No way. Absolutely not. Jose Capellan has proved more in the last two years than Pedro has. While Reputation + Desperation sometimes = $5 million, there's no way the Astros pull this trigger.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
