Barring a late change of heart by Dave Martinez, the White Sox are about to become 0-1 in head-to-head competition against the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Martinez, the Sox’s Opening Day starter in center field last year, appears to be on the verge of rejecting a two-year offer from the Sox to join the Devil Rays. He lives in the Tampa suburb of Safety Harbor.
“We made an offer,” Sox General Manager Ron Schueler said. “It looks to me now he wants to stay home. He said all along his preference was to stay home if he had that chance.”
Schueler hoped to lessen Tampa Bay’s interest in Martinez by offering salary arbitration by Sunday’s deadline, vesting the Sox for free-agent compensation. But the Rays apparently believe Martinez is worth a multiyear contract and the loss of their second-round draft pick. Tampa Bay’s first-round pick already has gone to San Francisco as compensation for signing former Sox closer Roberto Hernandez.
Devil Rays GM Chuck LaMar declines to discuss specific negotiations but said he is closing in on some deals. “In a couple of negotiations we’ve talked about as much as we can talk and we’ve offered about as much as we can offer,” LaMar said. “They have to decide whether we win the sweepstakes.”
Martinez initially would be a fourth outfielder in Tampa Bay, playing behind center-fielder Quinton McCracken and right-fielder Rich Butler. He also can play first base, but Tampa Bay is set there with Fred McGriff. Tampa is pursuing free agent Paul Sorrento–like Martinez a left-handed hitter–to serve as its primary designated hitter.
Rookie Mike Cameron supplanted Martinez in center field last year, and this season Martinez would be expected to yield right field to rookie Magglio Ordonez. But Schueler doesn’t believe playing time would be a problem if Martinez re-signed with the Sox. He could be the Opening Day first baseman, allowing 23-year-old Mario Valdez the opportunity to spend more time in Triple A.
Road show: While the Sox have yet to release their 1998 schedule, it appears Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf could get his wish of playing more road games in April. The Sox were scheduled to play 23 of their first 35 at home last season but lost three of those dates to cold and rain (and rescheduled one night game to day because of cold).
The tentative schedule has the Sox spending the season’s first week in Texas and Tampa Bay, with Opening Day set for March 31 in Arlington. They would return home for a six-game homestand against the same two teams, playing the Rangers in the home opener April 7.
Guillen interests Rangers: Ozzie Guillen, the Sox’s starting shortstop for 13 seasons, may have found a market for his services. Texas has entered into preliminary negotiations with Guillen’s agent, Joe Maenza. “He is definitely interested,” Maenza said.
The Rangers believe Guillen would be a good fit with their core of Latin players, which includes Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez and third baseman Fernando Tatis.
Kansas City also has expressed interest in Guillen, who turns 34 next month.
