NEW YORK (AP) – When Derek Jeter came across Pedro Martinez at Legends Field last month, the Yankees’ captain wasn’t surprised the longtime Boston ace was meeting with New York owner George Steinbrenner.

“Like I’ve said time and time again, nothing shocks me,” Jeter said Wednesday.

Jeter wouldn’t mind if Martinez moves from the Red Sox to the Yankees, but isn’t giving it a whole lot of thought. While he agrees with New York’s decision to pursue pitching, he didn’t sound too excited about the possibility of adding the three-time Cy Young Award winner.

“Pedro’s one of the guys that represents the Boston Red Sox,” Jeter said during a telephone conference call. “I had not thought about him being on our team because he’s not. I’ve always been competing against him. I don’t really sit down and think about him being on our side. He’s always been on the other side.”

Martinez met with Steinbrenner on Nov. 18 at the Yankees’ spring training complex in Tampa, Fla. Martinez has received offers from the Mets and the Red Sox, who remain interested in re-signing the 33-year-old right-hander.

“We love and have enormous respect for Pedro. But he needs to understand it takes to two to tango,” Red Sox president Larry Lucchino told members of the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers’ Association on Wednesday. “We are undeterred in our efforts to keep him.”

It’s not clear how much Boston will offer in the end to retain Martinez, a key component this year to Boston’s first World Series title since 1918.

“Our responsibility is to field the best team that we can given our resources for 2005 and beyond,” Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said at a charity event Wednesday. “The important thing is the team we put on the field … more important than any one individual. Obviously, we know Pedro is a good pitcher. It would be fantastic if he decides to come back here.”

New York lost to its longtime rival in the AL championship series, becoming the first major league baseball team to waste a 3-0 series lead in the postseason.

The Yankees told Arizona on Wednesday they were breaking off talks to acquire Randy Johnson in a deal that would have sent Javier Vazquez to the Diamondbacks, a high-ranking baseball official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The Yankees,who found Arizona’s asking price too high, will meet this weekend with free-agent pitcher Carl Pavano and hope to sign either Al Leiter or Eric Milton in order to add a left-handed starter.

“Pitching is always the key,” Jeter said. “That’s what gets you the furthest, obviously, in the postseason.”

New York’s talks with Arizona haven’t progressed, and the Yankees could turn their attention to Martinez. By signing him, the Yankees not only would help themselves but damage their rival.

“You talk about the rivalry, you think the Yankees-Red Sox, the first pitcher that comes to mind, with an exception of this year, when (Curt) Schilling got over there as well, was Pedro Martinez,” Jeter said.

Epstein, too, isn’t getting worked up this early. Most top free agents will sign from mid-December until mid-January.

“It’s a long offseason. We try to please our fan base in October, not in November and December,” Epstein said. “The most important time is October and we got that done this year. And that’s what we’re going to attempt to do every year.

“This is the first time Pedro has gotten to be a free agent. It’s up to the player to talk to his family, find out what’s important, see what’s out there,” he said. “He’s got to look out for his best interests and the best interest of his family. We have to look out for the organization’s best interest.”

While Martinez was at the center of the fight between the teams during the 2003 playoffs, Jeter said accepting him as a teammate wouldn’t be a problem.

“The bottom line is you have a job to do. If someone is on your team, then you have to find a way to work together,” Jeter said. “That doesn’t mean that everyone you played with in the past you liked, as long as you have a common goal, that’s fine.”

Jeter also would like to see the Yankees hold on to Vazquez, who won just once in his last nine regular-season starts.

“It just seemed like he got into a little rut he couldn’t get out of,” Jeter said. “I’m sure he’s going to bounce back and pitch extremely well.”

Notes: Jeter was proud to have won his first Gold Glove award last month. “I felt as though this was probably the best defensive year I’ve had. It’s an award obviously that means a lot because it’s voted on by the managers and coaches. Any time you get the respect from those people, it makes you feel good.”

AP-ES-12-01-04 2122EST