Rays try to hook Martinez

Wade Boggs came home. Fred McGriff came home.

Next up? First baseman Tino Martinez. Maybe.

The Devil Rays have been known to dip into Tampa's rich talent pool to bring home stars on the back end of their careers. The latest name to crop up is Martinez, and this could be the week the former Tampa Catholic and Jefferson standout returns.

Martinez still belongs to the Cardinals and is due $7-million in 2004. But this week at the general managers meetings in Phoenix, Rays GM Chuck LaMar will get to the bottom line: How much of Martinez's salary are the Cardinals willing to pick up, and what do they want in return?

There is one more question: Is this a good move?

It probably is if the Rays don't have to give up too much, and it's doubtful the Cardinals would want a top-notch prospect, though it could cost them a major-leaguer such as Joe Kennedy and/or Damian Rolls.

Martinez turns 36 next month but still looks as if he has some game left. He batted .273 with 15 homers and 69 RBIs last season, practically the same numbers as Travis Lee. In addition, Martinez continues to wield a slick glove. Getting Martinez would allow the Rays to avoid putting Aubrey Huff, a shaky defensive infielder, at first base.

The Martinez situation will be LaMar's primary concern at the GM meetings, which go from Monday to Friday.

And while Monday marks the first day teams can talk money with free agents, don't be surprised if activity is quiet for most of November before picking up in December. The Rays' decisions on free agents, though, will be affected by what happens this week and whether Martinez comes home.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Rays centerfielder Rocco Baldelli will be sitting by his telephone Monday. The American League Rookie of the Year Award will be announced, but the guess is Baldelli is a long shot behind the Yankees' Hideki Matsui and perhaps Royals shortstop Angel Berroa, who was voted by the players as the AL's top rookie.

OVER THE PA: Rays hitting coach Lee Elia will be inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday in Essington, Pa. Elia, 66, is from Philadelphia and is the former manager of the Cubs and Phillies. He has worked on Lou Piniella's staff for eight seasons.

PLAY NICE: Piniella has the reputation of being tough on pitching coaches, but that doesn't scare Chuck Hernandez, who took over for Chris Bosio last week.

"We're supposed to be tough on people. This is major-league baseball," Hernandez said. "I would expect Lou to demand a lot. I demand a lot of my pitchers. Lou wants the team to succeed. If he's upset, he's going to say something. He wants everyone giving their best and he wants to get the most out of everybody. That's how he became Lou Piniella."

DANDY ANDY: Surprised by the Astros trading closer Billy Wagner? Don't be. They're also looking to move outfielder Richard Hidalgo. They're hoping to take the savings and make a run at free-agent pitcher Andy Pettitte of the Yankees.

NO.1 WITHOUT A BULLET: ESPN.com toured and rated all 30 major-league parks last season, and Pittsburgh's PNC Park was voted No.1. But Pirates ownership was lukewarm with the honor considering attendance (1,636,751) was nearly 800,000 fewer than PNC's first season in 2001.

"It's great to be able to say you have the best ballpark," Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy told the Beaver County (Pa.) Times, "but we want to get the fans into the ballpark. We want to attract more people."

The Pirates are off to a good start for that: They are cutting ticket prices for next season.

By the way, Tropicana Field finished 28th in the poll, ahead of Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium, which is being torn down, and Montreal's Olympic Stadium, which may not house a baseball team in two years.

PRICE IS NOT RIGHT: Arizona is interested in acquiring Milwaukee first baseman Richie Sexson, but the Brewers likely would want one of the Diamondbacks' two young pitching stars: Brandon Webb or Oscar Villarreal.

GOOD COMEBACK: Scott Boras, the agent for Marlins free-agent catcher Pudge Rodriguez, was asked if his client was willing to accept a hometown discount to stay in Miami. Boras told the Miami Herald that Rodriguez would as soon as the Marlins extend discounts on tickets and parking to hometown fans.

A BIG LOSS: Don't underestimate the effect losing third-base coach Ozzie Guillen, who left to become the White Sox manager, will have on the Marlins. Guillen was the only Spanish-speaking coach on Jack McKeon's staff and served as friend and counsel to the Marlins' Latin players.

Recognizing the void, McKeon might turn to one of his former players, Cookie Rojas, to fill Guillen's big shoes.

CATCH THIS: The Padres' top priority this offseason is acquiring a top-notch catcher, something they haven't had in years.

Their targets are Pittsburgh's Jason Kendall and Minnesota's A.J. Pierzynski.

SHORT HOPS: Free agency kicks off this week, but the only teams willing to add significantly to their payrolls are believed to be Baltimore, the New York Yankees and Mets, Philadelphia, Anaheim and San Diego. And, oh, if Vince Naimoli keeps his word, the Rays. ... The Reds aren't rushing into filling their manager opening, but new GM Dan O'Brien said he wants his man in place by the winter meetings, which start Dec.12. Interim manager Dave Miley remains the front-runner, but the Reds will interview other candidates. ... Why does MLB do this? The Cardinals-Cubs rivalry is one of the best in baseball, but the teams won't play each other after July 20 next season.

- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.