Letting go would be hard to grasp

DETROIT -- If a look into a crystal ball shows Pedro Martinez not wearing a Red Sox uniform a year from now, would it be considered the worst non-signing in Boston since Roger Clemens?

With Nomar Garciaparra traded to the Cubs, nothing seems shocking anymore. But Martinez, who was in vintage form in last night's 7-4 win over the Tigers, looks as dominating as ever. He may do it a little differently now, with a killer curveball and a dynamite changeup as opposed to the 97-mile-per-hour rising fastball, but the results are the same for the free agent-to-be.

"I definitely want it to work out with Boston," Martinez said after the game. "But I'm like the rest of you, we'll have to wait and see. I don't know how it's going to turn out right now. I just want to help this team get to the playoffs and then win a World Series. That's still possible."

If Sox management has had enough of Martinez, just as they had had enough of Garciaparra, perhaps championing Martinez's cause is moot. He could win 20 games and be lights-out until October. However, even if he's not, his price tag will be formidable, perhaps one only George Steinbrenner could afford.

The front office's wait-and-see approach regarding Martinez was prudent, but now that he's delivering the goods, he might not have to settle for much less than the $17.5 million he's earning this season. And don't forget, he was willing to sign for $4 million less per year last offseason, according to sources familiar with the talks.

The Sox took a risk. And maybe that motivated Martinez to make sure the risk fell in his favor, not theirs. If last night was any indication of what Martinez has in store for the rest of the season, then the righthander will go from a gamble to possibly the highest-paid free agent this offseason. "Dr. [Lewis] Yocum told me that in the third year after the surgery the shoulder would be completely back to normal, as strong as it was before, and I think what's going on right now is exactly the way he laid it out for me," Martinez said. "I feel strong. If I had to go deeper into games, I could easily do that. Right now the team is being cautious and they're staying on the program and it's worked. No reason to change it unless they have to."

Martinez (12-4) struck out eight of the first 11 Tigers he faced, conjuring images of Clemens's second 20-strikeout game in this city in 1996, the Rocket's final season with the Sox.

Martinez labored in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, but he finished strong in the seventh and wound up with 11 strikeouts, two walks, and one earned run allowed, lowering his ERA to 3.94. Sixteen of Martinez's 23 outings have been quality starts, more than Curt Schilling. In six of Martinez's seven no-decisions, he left the game either tied or ahead.

Detroit's first run was the result of a Bill Mueller throwing error on a slow chop to second by Carlos Guillen in the fourth. Guillen scored on Dmitri Young's single to right, but Martinez struck out Rondell White for his ninth K and Young was caught stealing on the play to preserve a 3-1 lead. Martinez allowed the Tigers only one more run, on a two-out single by Alex Sanchez in the fifth. Martinez, along with Schilling, David Ortiz, and Manny Ramirez, has been one of the team's most consistent players. With all the roster turnover, Martinez has been a rock on a dysfunctional and underachieving squad.

This team was so stacked in spring training, general manager Theo Epstein was able to trade veteran Tony Womack to St. Louis for minor leaguer Matt Duff, who has made 42 appearances in Pawtucket while Womack has hit .295 as the Cardinals' leadoff hitter. Back then there was a sense of invincibility. Back then there was a sense that once "minor injuries" to Garciaparra and Trot Nixon were healed, they would waltz to the postseason. But the injuries weren't so minor, and when they returned, the Sox were already sputtering.

"I think this team is playing a lot better," Martinez said. "We're pitching better. Everybody is starting to adjust to their roles and I think we'll be OK at the end of the year." The good news is that even in Martinez's transitional season, he's won consistently and not missed a start. Last night he won a game in his 30th different ballpark and remained undefeated against the Tigers, 5-0 in nine career starts. With his second consecutive 11-strikeout game, Martinez reached double figures in Ks for the 69th time with the Sox, passing Clemens for the franchise lead.

All off which makes the Sox' plight, last night notwithstanding, so frustrating. Martinez can certainly sleep well knowing he's held up his end. The question is, will the Sox repeat a mistake they made in 1996 and let Martinez go?