ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Three-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez has extended the Opening-Day deadline he gave the Boston Red Sox to sign him to a contract extension.

	Martinez

Martinez said after Monday's opener against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays that talks were ongoing, but would not discuss details.

"The reason I'm not talking about the contract is because it's time to play baseball, concentrate on the things I'm doing,'' Martinez said. "Both parties, I guess are open, still talking because I haven't had a report. ... There's nothing I can tell you right now.''

Martinez allowed just an unearned run and three hits in seven innings Monday, departing with a 4-1 lead that the Boston bullpen couldn't hold in a 6-4 loss.

The right-hander said in February that unless the Red Sox exercised his $17.5 million option for 2004 or signed him to an extension by the end of spring training, that he likely would finish his career elsewhere.

"I'm pretty sure they're going to give you an answer pretty soon, whether we did it or whether we don't. I'm just going to wait and see what happens,'' Martinez said, adding that he was going to "continue to play baseball because that's all I want, and I want to focus.''