Rays send Martinez to Cubs for relief help

Lefty Mark Guthrie will fill a crucial bullpen role. Jose Guillen joins the rightfield battle.

By MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 13, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- Trying to build a successful franchise and field a competitive team at the same time can be a difficult and, at times, contradictory process that can lead to some painful decisions.

The Devil Rays made one Friday, trading away one of their most well-liked players, Dave Martinez, in a move team officials say will help the team in two ways.

By sending Martinez to the Cubs in exchange for pitcher Mark Guthrie and cash, the Rays hope they filled a longstanding need for a dependable and experienced left-handed reliever, and they created an opportunity for Jose Guillen, as well as Bubba Trammell and even Steve Cox, to show they are ready to play rightfield on a regular basis.

"It was a tough decision," Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said. "Dave Martinez is not only one of the fans' most popular players but he's one of our most popular players. But it was time. We had to do it to strengthen our bullpen and to make room, if you would, to see if one of these young players is truly the rightfielder of the future."

The full impact of the trade won't be known until today, when the Rays must create space on the roster for Guthrie. Left-hander Jim Morris, who made the remarkable journey from high school coach to big-league pitcher, would seem the likely candidate to go. "I don't know what's going on," he said. "The logical choice would be me."

The overall ramifications could be even grander. LaMar said the deal was "a baseball trade," and not something he pursued for financial reasons or to shake up the struggling club.

But inside the surprised clubhouse, there were some different views. "Maybe what it tells me is that if things don't turn for the better around here, this might not be the last move in that direction," catcher John Flaherty said. "And that's just the nature of baseball. If the team's not winning and you don't see improvement, then you go with younger players."

Martinez, who lives year-round in Safety Harbor, was sullen when he came to the stadium Friday evening to pack his equipment and say his goodbyes.

"I know stuff like this happens, but I have kind of mixed emotions right now," he said. "If the situation had been different where we would have been winning, I don't think it would have happened. But we're not winning. And they want to try to get some young kids in here and see if they can play."

Guillen was recalled from Triple-A Durham, where he was leading the International League in hitting (.423), home runs (9), RBI (31) and slugging percentage (.923), all in 19 games. "He was in the wrong league," LaMar said.

The 23-year-old, inconsistent after being acquired from Pittsburgh in July, was slowed by a sore shoulder in spring training and opened this season on the disabled list, then was sent to Triple A on April 12.

"If he hadn't gone on the DL at the end of spring training he probably would have won a job on this club ... ," LaMar said. "Jose Guillen has proven he can play in the major leagues, as his first two years with the Pirates would indicate. He has yet to prove whether he can play on an everyday basis with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays."

Manager Larry Rothschild said he will give Guillen the opportunity to do so, but he also has plans to use Trammell and Cox, the left-handed hitting rookie. "There's going to be other guys competing for that job in rightfield," Rothschild said. "I'm not going to hand it to him; he's going to have to earn it. He'll have a chance, but so will some other guys. We'll see how he does."

The Rays will be equally eager to see how Guthrie does. The 34-year-old, who graduated from Venice High School and lives in Bradenton, has been in the major leagues since 1989, spending most of his career with Minnesota and Los Angeles.

He is considered a "situational" lefty, meaning he often has been brought into games with runners on base and a tough hitter, usually a left-hander, at the plate.

"He's more of a one-out or one-inning kind of guy, and he brings a dimension we haven't had here, and that's experience," LaMar said. "It's Jim's first time in this arena, but Mark has been there. It's the first time we've had a guy you could truly call situational. ... You didn't bring Norm Charlton in with the bases loaded to get a hitter out. I think in Mark's case, you can."

Both players are signed through the end of this season. Martinez makes $2-million, Guthrie $1.6-million. The Rays also received an undisclosed amount of cash.

Martinez, 35, was known for his work ethic and professionalism on and off the field, and the players were surprised and saddened to see him go. "He was one of the good guys," catcher Mike DiFelice said.

Martinez, who grew up in the Orlando area, began his career with the Cubs and had been traded twice, to Montreal in July 1988 and to Cincinnati in December 1991. He also played with the Giants and White Sox before signing with the Rays before their 1998 inaugural season.

Martinez plans to join the Cubs on Tuesday, and he has heard he may fill in for injured Mark Grace at first base and then take a place in the outfield, possibly in center.

He has heard rumors of possible trades throughout his time with the Rays, but he always said he preferred to stay, especially with the opportunity to be home more with his wife, Lisa, and four children.

"Going back to Chicago (where he began his pro career) isn't a bad place to go," he said. "But I'm leaving what I call home. ... I always said I wished I could finish my career here, but it didn't happen and I have to move on."

Meanwhile, the Martinez kids had to find alternative entertainment Friday. It was Dalton's sixth birthday, and the plan was to bring his 10 friends to Tropicana Field to watch his dad play.

"I think we'll do something (today) instead," Martinez said.

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