BOSTON -- The Red Sox were properly philosophical and largely unconcerned over the news that the New York Yankees had obtained Jeff Weaver
from the Detroit Tigers in a late-night deal consummated around midnight Friday.
"They never give up," said Pedro Martinez
of the Sox' chief rivals. "They seem to want to win every year. It was a great move for them. I don't blame for them trying. I actually respect that."
But Martinez said the Sox shouldn't feel a need to respond with a move of their own.
"We're playing good baseball," said Martinez. "That's enough. We can't be worried about what they're doing."
"The New York Yankees have done that throughout their history," noted manager Grady Little
of the franchise's habit of picking up quality players in midseason. "They're not going to change now."
But Little disagreed when it was suggested that the Yankees' improvements in the last week -- they also got outfielder Raul Mondesi from Toronto -- were "frustrating" for the Sox. "Why would it be frustrating?" asked Little. "We like our team. I don't know what they're thinking. But I'll tell you this: our ballclub is pretty competitive and it's going to be more so when we get everybody back." The Sox are currently without
Rey Sanchez
(hamstring), Dustin Hermanson
(groin) and Rolando Arrojo
(shoulder tendinitis).
"We're an organization that, if we have a chance to make a deal, we'll do it," said Little.
Interim general manager Mike Port
"Our focus is still on doing what's right for the Red Sox," Port said, "as opposed to making trades for the sake of making trades."
Martinez told to change gloves
The Tigers complained to home-plate unpire Mike Reilly
about some red strings on Martinez's glove and after the first inning, he was required to change his glove.
The issue, which was probably gamesmanship on the part of the Tigers, seemed to amuse him more than anything.
"It doesn't matter; it doesn't matter anymore," shrugged Martinez. "I'm getting used to that. I'm becoming a veteran. Some of the things that the league and other managers complained about -- breaking ball, hit-by-pitch warnings, stuff like that -- I'm used to all those things. Now it's my glove. Before it was my jersey [sleeves]. Next time it might be my shoes, or maybe the way I wear my hat. I don't know what's going to happen, but it's getting awfully silly, the way they're trying to act.
"The glove doesn't pitch. I wonder why I'm having such good results. Maybe they keep looking at the glove and they're not looking at my hand. It's obviously ridiculous."
Ex-Sox Maroth takes the loss
The losing pitcher for Detroit was Mike Maroth
, who was sent to the Tigers by the Red Sox at the trading deadline in 2000 for pitcher Bryce Florie
.
Maroth allowed seven runs in 32/3 innings after allowing just 12 runs in his five previous starts.
"All I was thinking about was pitching a good game," said Maroth of pitching against the organization which drafted him. "Nothing else really fazed me."
Independent of the relative quality of the Sox and Tigers, Maroth said he would rather pitch regularly in spacious Comerica Park than Fenway.
Shutouts aplenty
Yesterday's shutout was the 11th this season by the Red Sox pitching staff and fifth started by Martinez. Last year, they had nine shutouts for the entire season. . . . The Sox are 14-6 against lefty starters this season. . . . They're 42-2 when leading after six innings. . . . Yesterday marked the first time since May 1 that Jose Offerman
has scored two runs in a game at Fenway.
