GLENDALE, ARIZ. — Russell Martin, who rebuffed the Dodgers' overtures about a long-term contract last winter, said Thursday he would like to explore such a deal this winter.
"I'm always interested in a long-term deal," Martin said. "Who wouldn't be?"
On the day the Dodgers formally released Andruw Jones, owners Frank and Jamie McCourt invited Martin to a private lunch here. Martin, an All-Star in each of the last two years, then joined the McCourts on a media tour of the Dodgers' new spring home.
Martin said the lunch was informal, and his contract status did not come up. He officially filed for salary arbitration Thursday -- as did Jonathan Broxton, Andre Ethier and Jason Repko -- and General Manager Ned Colletti said the Dodgers are "concentrating on a one-year [contract] at the moment."
But Martin, who has changed agents this winter, said he hoped to discuss a long-term extension as well.
"I just want to get treated fairly," he said. "I'm not trying to steal the bank."
The Dodgers had agreed to trade or release Jones by Thursday in exchange for his deferring all but $3.7 million of the $22.1 million remaining on his contract. Still, if another team signs him to a major league contract, the Dodgers remain liable for all but the $400,000 minimum salary.
The agreement contains a provision in which the Dodgers waived any future claims against Jones. McCourt confirmed Thursday he had considered voiding the contract of Jones, who reported to camp last season significantly overweight, on the basis that he had violated the standard contractual obligation "to keep himself in first-class physical condition or to obey the club's training rules."
Such an action would have been met with an immediate grievance from the players' union. McCourt said he explored the issue last summer but decided against trying to terminate the contract.
"I didn't want to create a controversy," McCourt said. "You're tempted to do something -- and maybe even have the right to do it -- but we wanted to stay focused on winning a championship."
Colletti said Jones, a five-time All-Star, had asked for a trade. Jones hit .222 with 29 home runs for the Atlanta Braves in 2007, his lowest batting average and fewest home runs in a decade. He signed a two-year, $36-million contract with the Dodgers, then batted .158 with three home runs.
