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Tuesday, April 10, 2001

By Paul Meyer, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

The Pirates have all but finalized the signing of free-agent right-hander Ramon Martinez and probably will make the official announcement today.

Martinez, released by Los Angeles on March 28, most likely will make his first start for the Pirates Saturday in Chicago.

Martinez, 33, is the older brother of Pedro Martinez, the standout right-hander with the Boston Red Sox.

The Boston Herald reported Sunday that Ramon Martinez had agreed to terms with the Pirates.

"Terms have not been exchanged in contract language," Pirates General Manager Cam Bonifay said yesterday.

Martinez earned $6.32 million last season when he was 10-8 with a 6.13 earned run average in 27 starts for the Red Sox. Boston declined to pick up the $8.5 million option on Martinez' contract for this season, and he went to spring training with the Dodgers.

Martinez battled Eric Gagne for the Dodgers' fifth starter's job and lost. He went home to the Dominican Republic and continued to throw.

Martinez's deal with the Pirates will be for a year. He'll receive a guaranteed $200,000 from the Pirates, which is the major-league's minimum salary. His contract also will include many performance-based incentives.

Martinez likely will supplant left-hander Joe Beimel in the starting rotation. Beimel, a Duquesne University product, will move into the bullpen. Right-hander Bill Taylor probably will be returned to Class AAA Nashville to make roster room for Martinez.

It's not clear what the Pirates will do with Martinez when injured starters Terry Mulholland, Jason Schmidt, Kris Benson and Francisco Cordova begin returning to active duty, although Martinez's signing probably means Mulholland will return as a reliever.

"I'm not worried about Ramon," Pedro Martinez told the Boston Herald Sunday. "He's had a great career and sooner or later he'll have to hang up his cleats, but this is good for him."

Ramon Martinez, who had major should surgery in 1998, averaged just four innings per start for the Red Sox last season.

"Ramon just needs a team to work for," Pedro Martinez said. "He needs to pitch and prove he's OK. I know he can still pitch and so does he."

Ramon Martinez is 135-86 with a 3.62 ERA in 298 major-league games.