Piazza says he’s willing to kiss and make up with Martinez

Mike Piazza is looking forward to catching Pedro Martinez and putting ill will behind them.

Martinez hit the New York Mets catcher on the left hand on June 5, 1998, causing Piazza to miss most of a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

“It shows you that all that money can’t buy you class. Maybe he should invest in some lessons on etiquette,” Piazza said then.

Martinez responded: “He wants to talk about class, well, he was a millionaire since he was a kid. He’s not a better person than me.”

Piazza, Martinez’s former teammate in Los Angeles, said during a conference call Monday that he is willing to move on now that the three-time Cy Young Award winner left the Red Sox to sign a $53 million, four-year contract with the Mets.

“I think Pedro’s a man of integrity, and I’m a man of integrity,” Piazza said. “What we’ve had in the past is in the past. … We’re teammates now. And I know that I’m going to go out there and do the best possible job I can do for him, and I hope he feels the same for me. So, that’s it. I mean, I’m going to be his number one supporter.”

Indians, Westbrook agree to deal

James Westbrook, who became an All-Star and won a team-high 14 games last season after switching from the bullpen, agreed to a $7.5 million, two-year contract with the Cleveland Indians and avoided salary arbitration.

“It’s very satisfying,” Westbrook said. “Hopefully, I can duplicate it – if not do better. The best part of last year was that it showed me what I can do. I got real confident.”

Delgado reconsiders Mets, again

One day after saying the Mets were out, Carlos Delgado’s agent said the team was back in.

David Sloane, who represents the free-agent first baseman, resumed talks with New York and said the Mets, Florida Marlins and Baltimore Orioles remained in contention to sign Delgado.

After the Mets told him on Sunday that they needed to have a decision by the end of the night, Sloane said New York had withdrawn, a statement that puzzled the Mets, who said they were waiting to hear back.

On Monday, the sides started taking again.

Clearing the bases

Infielder Rich Aurilia and the Cincinnati Reds agreed to a minor league contract that gives him the chance to become the team’s starting shortstop. If Aurilia is added to the Reds’ major league roster, he would get a $600,000, one-year contract. … Free agent Tony Clark agreed to a $750,000, one-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks and said he is content to be the backup to young Chad Tracy at first base. … Japanese second baseman Tadahito Iguchi and the Chicago White Sox have reached agreement on a two-year contract. Iguchi will get between $2 million and $2.5 million per season and the White Sox will have the option for a third year. … Outfielder Chris Singleton agreed to a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay. The Devil Rays also sent catcher Pete Laforest outright to Triple-A Durham and invited him to major league spring training.

Right-hander Brad Penny avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $5.1 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. … Ben Grieve agreed to a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who will give Grieve a shot at making their increasingly crowded outfield. He would get a $500,000, one-year contract if the Pirates add him to their big league roster. Pittsburgh utilityman Rob Mackowiak agreed to a $1.5 million, one-year deal. … Cesar Gutierrez, a Venezuelan shortstop who set a major league record for consecutive hits in an extra-inning game with seven while playing with the Detroit Tigers in 1970, died Saturday of a heart attack in Cabimas, Venezuela. He was 61.