(USA TODAY Sports Images)

One excerpt from Pedro Martinez’s new autobiography explained some of Manny Ramirez’s eccentricities during the stars’ time together in Boston. Another, via the New York Times, claims that Jeff Wilpon — son of Mets owner Fred Wilpon and now the team’s COO — forced Martinez to pitch through a toe injury to sell tickets in 2005.

From the Times:

Martinez writes that his toe was hurt and that Manager Willie Randolph had told him he was done for the season. But, he said, Wilpon, now the Mets’ chief operating officer, wanted to sell tickets for a matchup against the star Marlins left-hander Dontrelle Willis. Martinez said he protested the order and offered to give back the rest of his contract.

“While I’m the boss here, you’re going to have to do what I say,” Wilpon said, according to Martinez, who gave in and pitched. He lost the game, which drew 25,093 fans, and said the injury prolonged the toe problem. Other parts of his body broke down the next season, and Martinez was inactive for the Mets’ run to Game 7 of the 2006 National League Championship Series.

Martinez goes on to suggest pitching through the toe injury contributed to shoulder woes that shortened his 2006 season and led to surgery. The pitcher said he enjoyed his time with the Mets and did not blame the younger Wilpon for pushing him through pain.

Mets COO Jeff Wilpon (Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)

Wilpon, in a statement sent to the Times, praised Martinez but denied his claims.

“Pedro was always a great competitor and deserving of being in the Hall of Fame,” the statement said. “This particular excerpt in the book is false as those kinds of decisions have always been put in the hands of our baseball people.”

Wilpon has been hounded by reports of his meddling in baseball decisions throughout his tenure in the team’s front office.

(Thanks to Amazin’ Avenue for calling our attention to this story.)