SUNDAY, 1:50pm: Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com writes that the Pirates won’t be signing Pedro unless his asking price comes down. They’ve shown interest, contacting his agent, but are unwilling to meet the $5MM-$8MM asking price.
Pittsburgh’s $51MM payroll gives them a bit of flexibility, and signing a veteran starter was one of their offseason priorities. However, Langosch writes that they’re very pleased with the depth of their starting pitching this Spring. Seems like they don’t consider adding Pedro a necessity.
SATURDAY, 8:07pm: The Chicago Tribune’s Phil Rogers writes that Pedro "insists he could have signed a contract long ago but wasn’t ready to commit." He cites a commitment to the World Baseball Classic as the reason he has waited to sign. (Scroll down to Miller’s first note after the main story.)
Pedro added the following: "The major leagues have, unfortunately, become more of a business than something to be proud of."
1:15pm:SI.com’s Jon Heyman reports that several teams have interest in free agent Pedro Martinez.
The Dodgers have already made it known that they’re "curious," and now the Indians, Pirates and Mets have joined the fun. Pedro is still seeking between $5MM and $8MM on a one-year deal, but will probably have to settle for an incentive-laden package with a low base salary. According to his agent, Fern Cuza, Martinez "feels better than his first year with the Mets."
