HE’S A KEEPER

The Red Sox have picked up Pedro Martinez’s $17.5 million option for 2004, which ends a good deal of speculation regarding Prince P’s future in Boston. At least until November. Dan Shaughnessy reports that the new Red Sox owners are in the business of people-pleasing, and you’d be hard pressed to find a Red Sox fan who wasn’t thrilled and delighted to have Pedro back for at least one more season:

Historically, owner John Henry has been soft on players, eager to please. Lucchino has been a hard-liner. On paper, this is a risky business decision, but fans don’t care about that. It’s not their $17 million, and if Pedro is happy, the Nation is happy. And ultimately, ownership came to the same conclusion.

These are not Tom Yawkey’s Red Sox.