Victor Martinez Does Not Want to be a Free Agent

Music to Red Sox fans' ears:

And now, just one season away from his first crack at free agency and the opportunity to choose from what should be a healthy number of teams hopeful of signing the best hitting catcher not named Joe Mauer, Martinez wants no part of it.

He is not looking for a new city to call home.

Now that he is a Red Sox, he wants to stay one.

“A lot of guys like to be free agents, but I’m going to be really honest on this answer,” Martinez said last week.

He then looked away, pausing to gather his thoughts.

“I don’t want to be jumping around, I don’t want to go somewhere else,” Martinez continued. “First, I didn’t want to go out of the Indians organization. Then I’m out, and now I’m here. I came to the place where a lot of players dream to come and a lot of players wish to play here in Boston. So I’m here, I do really want to stay here and hopefully end my career in Boston.”

That's certainly some encouraging news for the Red Sox and GM Theo Epstein. If Martinez hits the free agent market after this season, then he will probably be one of the most coveted free agents on the market. Martinez has established himself as one of the top catchers in baseball and I'm sure the Red Sox would love to have Martinez on board for the foreseeable future.

You have to wonder if statements like this from Martinez will kick start talks about a contract extension for Martinez. Things have been quiet to date between the Red Sox and Martinez and there really has been limited dialogue from the two sides suggesting that either was in a rush to get a deal done. Then again, it makes sense for Martinez and his agent to remain patient and wait things out because if Joe Mauer signs an extension with the Twins before the offseason, then Martinez will become the top catcher on the market and his price will undoubtedly jump given how few all-star level catchers there are. In addition, if the Twins and Mauer come to terms on a extension, it will give the Red Sox and Martinez a better idea of what a reasonable extension would be for both sides.