Old Nemesis Signs On With Mariners Piniella Looks For Veteran Martinez To Compete For Spot In M’S Rotation

The man who knocked the Mariners out of the only postseason in franchise history was asked Thursday to try to help that team get back to the playoffs - and Dennis Martinez said yes.

A free agent after his 19th major league season, right-hander Martinez signed a minor-league contract and was invited to the Mariners’ spring camp as a non-roster player.

After winning 240 big-league games, Martinez left the Cleveland Indians last fall and tentatively agreed to a deal with the Florida Marlins, then failed a team physical. All last week, Martinez and his agent spoke with the Mariners and Montreal Expos, and after talking to Lou Piniella personally, Martinez signed with Seattle.

“His contract isn’t subject to him passing a physical,” general manager Woody Woodward said.

“It’s subject to his getting hitters out. He’s coming in to compete for a job. We had three scouts see him throw, and he was throwing nice and easy.”

Martinez has pitched in the majors for Baltimore, Montreal and Cleveland, and though his career began in 1976, Martinez may be best remembered in Seattle for Game 6 of the 1995 American League Championship Series.

He won and went to a World Series. Seattle lost but never forgot Martinez.

“He’s always been a winner, and he’ll push some of our kids for a job,” Piniella said. “There’s going to be more competition for the starting rotation this spring than in any camp since I’ve been here.”

Last June, Martinez strained his right elbow pitching for Cleveland and went on the disabled list three times with the injury. He passed on surgery and has been throwing pain-free for about two months.

Martinez has won at least 13 games in 13 different seasons, but has never won more than 16 in any one year.