Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz share thoughts on Mookie Betts’ future with the Red Sox

Moving on without Mookie Betts is not the ideal scenario for the Red Sox, but at least three advisors in the front office understand that it’s a possibility.

Speaking at the fourth annual Pedro Martinez Foundation Gala at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Friday night, Martinez, David Ortiz and Jason Varitek were asked about what the future holds for Betts, a free agent after the 2020 season who could be traded this offseason. All three are currently listed as special advisors in the front office.

“It’s just part of the cycle of baseball,” said Martinez, who was raising money toward bettering the lives of children in the Dominican Republic and the United States. “There’s a business part of it, an athletic part of it and a personal way of viewing you and a personal way of viewing an athlete. You have to respect every one of them.

“The business part of it you cannot mingle with the personal side of it. Sometimes what’s convenient for a team trying to make money and save money and execute different ideas is not probably the way players think about what should happen for them.”

After helping the Red Sox win a World Series in 2004, the Red Sox granted Martinez free agency before he signed with the New York Mets.

“I was actually one of those examples where I didn’t feel like I didn’t need to leave Boston, but it was better for Boston to get rid of me or Nomar at one point,” he said. “For Mookie, a franchise player, or J.D. Martinez, players that are so significant, they are the difference-makers…I hope we can keep every player we have and add more, but unfortunately baseball has a dark side and the dark side is the business part of baseball.”

Varitek, 47, hasn’t played since 2011 but often travels with the Red Sox in a coaching role and works hands-on with the players at the field level.

“Mookie is technically here,” Varitek said. “There’s speculation about what happens to J.D. and everybody else. It’s just like the trade deadline. They want to know what will happen, but they’re not paid to make those moves and do those things. Right now they’re starting to dive into their off-season programs and prepare for a championship run.”

Asked if he was interested in the pitching coach vacancy recently filled by the hiring of Dave Bush, Varitek said he’s still defining his role with the Red Sox and feels proud of his behind-the-scenes contributions.

Ortiz was the only one of the three to suggest the Red Sox lock up Betts to a long-term contract.

“Hopefully he’ll stay around,” Ortiz said. “Mookie is one of the engines that we’re always going to need. Hopefully him and the front office, the owners, (come to a deal) so we can have him around longer.”

Ortiz said he hopes Martinez re-negotiates his deal with the Red Sox and “retires here in this organization just like I did.”

Martinez has until Monday to decide if he’ll opt out of the remaining three years of his contract.

Also attending the foundation gala Friday night were current MLB players Carlos Gomez, Willy Adames, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Jose Reyes and Corey Kluber.

“I want to help the kids too,” said Adames. “You’re never going to say no to an invitation from Pedro Martinez. He’s still one of the role models for us, the kids in the D.R. and a lot of kids in the United States.”

Adames, the Rays shortstop, said he worked closely with new Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom while Bloom was still with Tampa Bay.

“He’s a great person,” Adames said. “He was a great guy to talk to over there. He’s really smart and we’re going to miss him. He’s really important for us. He was always there for us, available for us in any moment we needed him. The Red Sox got a great one and I know he’s going to do a tremendous job here too.”

Martinez expressed disappointment that Dave Dombrowski was fired because the two had a close relationship.

“But I’m looking forward to establishing my relationship with Chaim Bloom,” he said.

In Tampa, Bloom was the senior vice president in the front office, but Adames said Bloom spent a lot of time around the players.

“He was just cool,” Adames said.

Asked if he was frustrated the Red Sox hired him away from Tampa, Adames said, “Yes, but I feel like the Rays always find another guy to do kind of the same stuff. It’s a little frustrating because sometimes you have a veteran guy help you a lot to grow as a baseball player and a person off the field. When you lose a guy like that, obviously it’s frustrating, but we always adjust.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2C2KRaD