MONTREAL Dennis Martinez will not be pitching for the AtlantaBraves after all.
Martinez turned down a trade Thursday that would have sent himfrom the Montreal Expos to the contending Braves because they couldnot ensure him a spot in their rotation.
In a brief statement, the Expos announced Martinez "refused hisassignment. . . . He will remain with the Expos and start (tonight)in his regular turn against the Houston Astros."
The Braves, who wanted to block Martinez from going to the rivalSan Francisco Giants, worked out a deal Wednesday to acquire him forfirst baseman Brian Hunter. But the trade could not be completedwithout approval from Martinez, who has the right to veto any dealbecause he has played 10 seasons in the major leagues and the lastfive with the same team.
Martinez, 38, is 11-8 with a 4.23 ERA this season. He was anAll-Star in 1990, 1991 and 1992 and always has been at his best witha regular turn in the rotation.
But on the Braves, whose staff includes Tom Glavine, GregMaddux, Steve Avery and John Smoltz, Martinez would not have gottenmany chances as the fifth starter. And even if they reached thepostseason for the third consecutive year, there was no guarantee hewould have pitched in the playoffs.
The Braves had no official reaction to Martinez's rejection andsaid baseball's tampering rules prevented them from commenting. Butit was thought they wanted Martinez mainly to stop him from going tothe Giants, whom they trail by 4 1/2 games in the National LeagueWest.
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