Padres’ Martin Is Arrested

San Diego Padre left fielder Al Martin and a woman who says she is his wife were arrested on charges that they hit each other. Martin and Shawn Haggerty-Martin were freed on their own recognizance and told to stay away from each other, Scottsdale, Ariz., police said.

A police spokesman said Haggerty-Martin hit Martin several times during an argument at their home Monday night, and he struck her in the jaw at least once.

She had a swollen face and he had scratches across the bridge of his nose and behind his left ear, and his shirt had speckles of blood on it, according to a police report.

The argument broke out after Haggerty-Martin accused him of still being married to another woman, police said.

She told police he threatened to kill her. Haggerty-Martin said Martin had been abusive before, including pinning her to the bed, choking her and sticking the barrel of a gun in her mouth, the report said.

Haggerty-Martin told police she and Martin were married in Las Vegas in December 1998. Martin told police that he attended a ceremony in Las Vegas but didn’t believe it was real.

The Padres’ media guide lists Martin’s wife’s name as Cathy.

Haggerty-Martin said Martin kept telling her that he and his wife were getting a divorce. Haggerty-Martin was charged with assault-domestic violence, and Martin was charged with assault-physical injury and threatening or intimidating, all misdemeanors.

Police will investigate the bigamy allegation.

The Padres acquired Martin from the Pirates on Feb. 23 in exchange for utilityman John Vander Wal and two minor leaguers. Martin had wanted out of Pittsburgh and was eager to play for a West Coast team.

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Nearly four in 10 major league baseball players made $1 million or more last season, topped by Baltimore’s Albert Belle at $11,949,794.

Of 916 players on Aug. 31 rosters, 342 players made $1 million or more, according to a study of all major league contracts by the Associated Press. That comes out to a record 37.3%, up from 36.5% in 1998 and 34.5% in 1997.

Dodger pitcher Kevin Brown, at $10,714,286, ranked third and Dodger outfielder Gary Sheffield was fifth at $9,936,667.

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Edgar Martinez’s statistics tell him one thing. His body and mind sometimes tell him another.

Martinez, baseball’s top designated hitter, may be headed into his final season with the Seattle Mariners, despite leading the American League for the second consecutive year in on-base percentage.

“I’m at the end of my career,” the four-time all-star said. “I’m 37, I’m going one year at a time.”

Martinez’s .337 average was fourth in the American League last year, and he had 24 homers and 86 runs batted in.

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One day after the new union of baseball umpires agreed to merge the American and National league staffs, former major league club executive Ralph Nelson was promoted to vice president of umpires by Commissioner Bud Selig. Until this year, the AL and NL had been in charge of their own umpires. . . . Toronto right-hander Joey Hamilton, whose return from shoulder surgery is going much slower than expected, was placed on the disabled list. . . . The Houston Astros traded infielder Carlos Hernandez to the Seattle Mariners for catcher Carlos Maldonado in a swap of minor leaguers. . . . Umpire Rocky Roe, who was working third base, was helped off the field on a motorized cart at the end of the third inning of Detroit’s 11-4 victory at Lakeland, Fla. Roe had surgery on his right knee during the off-season.