Dennis Martinez Done for Season

Cleveland’s Dennis Martinez said Friday he will not pitch again this season because his injured elbow is not getting better.

The Indians’ right-hander lasted only a few pitches in his last workout Thursday and had to stop when the elbow acted up. He told Manager Mike Hargrove that he his through for the year.

Martinez, 41, is on the disabled list for the third time this season after pitching since 1986 without being disabled. Martinez last pitched on Aug. 27 in Detroit, facing only five batters.

Martinez has 240 victories, three shy of Juan Marichal’s major league record for a Latin pitcher.

“I gave it my best shot,” Martinez said. “I tried everything. But when your body tells you enough is enough, that’s it.”

“I really was hoping against all hope that it wouldn’t come to this,” Hargrove said. “I really wanted to see him come back with us this year. We all did.”

Martinez, signed by Cleveland before the 1994 season, said he will try to pitch next year.

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Cal Ripken Jr. denied a report in the Washington Post that Ripken called the official scorer after Wednesday’s game to argue about a scoring decision in the sixth inning.

According to the Post, Ripken and Brady Anderson called the press box about an hour after the Orioles’ 7-6 victory in an attempt to get the scorer to award Ripken a hit on a ball he hit to Chicago White Sox third baseman Robin Ventura. Ventura was charged with an error on the play.

“I disagreed with the call, but I didn’t call him,” Ripken said. “I didn’t talk to the scorer about it. I never called anyone. The story was incorrect if it said that.”

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Jose Offerman signed a two-year contract with the Kansas City Royals.

Offerman led the majors with 35 errors at shortstop last season and the Dodgers traded him to Kansas City, where he was batting .285 while playing mainly first base.

“Jose has been my most valuable player this year,” Manager Bob Boone said. “I have used him all over the place and he has done a great job.”

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Chicago White Sox pitcher Jason Bere underwent season-ending exploratory surgery on his right elbow. Bere was 0-1 with a 10.26 earned-run average this season. . . . The Cincinnati Reds acquired left-handed reliever Pedro A. Martinez from the New York Mets for minor league outfielder Andre King. Martinez is not related to the Montreal Expos’ pitcher of the same name. . . . The San Francisco Giants announced a two-year agreement with the Class-A Bakersfield Blaze beginning next season. . . . Houston Astro owner Drayton McLane said that if he and Harris County can’t agree on a stadium deal this weekend, he will ask baseball owners for permission to negotiate with potential buyers who would move the team.