Pedro breaks off contract talks with Red Sox. (ESPN.com)

Brian: "Martinez's goal in going to the press with his contract frustration, no doubt, was to initiate a campaign of public outrage. The hope was that Sox fans would feel he was being cheated, turn on Theo and Larry, and put on the heat for more money. Problem is, we're on their side. Much like Bill Belichick, Epstein has made a lot of good moves lately, and we'll happily defer to his opinion. Were this a ladder-day Dan Duquette or a happily-lunching Lou Gorman, it might've worked. But Theo has New England's ear, and he's likely to keep it." (Top of the Ninth)

Rivals in Exile: Reversal of Fortune. Ben Jacobs and Larry Mahnken discuss the Red Sox and Yankees, a week after Boston's sweep. (The Hardball Times)

Best. Start. Ever. Joe Sheehan on Barry Bonds' April. (Baseball Prospectus)

Rockies Try the Four-Man. "Let me repeat that: the COLORADO ROCKIES are going to a FOUR-MAN ROTATION. In one stroke, Dan O'Dowd has mixed together two of the most compelling issues in baseball analysis today--how to win at altitude, and how to optimize the usage of your pitchers." (Baseball Prospectus)

2004 NL East Established Win Shares Report. (The Baseball Crank)