In the last couple years, the Pittsburgh Pirates have made free agent signings in the off-season that have turned out to be major pieces to the puzzle. Russell Martin looks to be taking that same route.
Martin was signed on November, 30th of last year, to a 2-year, 17 mil contract to become the Pirates main catcher, replacing Rod Barajas. So far, he has proven to be a very valuable asset to the team.
He can even be put into the lineup at third base as fans saw over the last week. What most don’t know about him is he played the hot corner during his first year in the minors before he was taken aside one day in 2002 during extended spring training with the LA Dodgers. “I got pulled out of extended spring training in 2002 and they brought me into the cage to catch a 100 mph thrower and I was sticking every ball. The Dodgers saw that I had good hands and they felt that it was going to be a good fit for me as far as the footwork and the arm strength and they felt my bat was more adequate to catching.”
From then on, he had to take a step back to learn the new position, but it was for the better. “They sold me on it saying you’re probably going to have a better chance on making the majors if you go to catcher and I was okay with doing that.”
He made his Major League debut in 2006 with the Dodgers where he played 121 games. He finished 9th in the Rookie of the Year voting while posting a .282 AVG while hitting 10 Homers and knocking in 65. His breakout year would be the next season when he made his first All-Star game appearance and received a gold glove and silver slugger while batting .293 with 19 Homers and 87 RBI’s. Those would be his career stats until he surpassed his home run total last year with the Yankees. (21).
His bat started out slow this season, but he has been succeeding at the plate as of late. His overall average stands at .226, but over the last 10 games, he has hit at a .343 rate with 3 Doubles, 2 Homers, 3 Walks, 3 RBI’s and 6 Runs scored while only striking out 4 times. It’s something Pirate fans have only seen in spurts since Jason Kendall left the team after the 2004 season but Martin is poised to change that trend.
Another major contribution Martin has made with the team so far, has been his ability to work with the Pirate pitching staff in clutch situations. One example is during the second game of the season against the Chicago Cubs. Wandy Rodriguez would be in trouble with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh inning. He would work the count full to Cubs hitter, Brent Lillibridge. Martin would then go out and calm Wandy by telling him to throw the pitch he is most-comfortable throwing. Rodriguez, on, the next pitch, would throw a curveball freezing Lillibridge for strike three. “He’s a really good catcher.” Said Rodriguez. “I really have confidence with him to throw the ball no matter where I’m pitching and I feel so good with him.”
Another example of Martin’s leadership was shown before James McDonald’s start on April 20th. McDonald struggled in his previous start and needed some confidence. That’s when Martin, along with backup catcher, Michael McKenry and fellow starter, A.J. Burnett took McDonald into the video room to show him a highlight reel of McDonald’s strikeouts. It proved to be effective as J-Mac would go out and strike out 9 Atlanta batters (including the first three to start the game) while going six innings in a 3 – 1 victory. “He pulled me aside, he really didn’t have to say anything at all, but he grabbed me and it worked.” Said McDonald after his start. “He helps me a lot, mentally, he talks to me. Today he came up big for me, bringing me aside and doing that.”
Pirates’ manager, Clint Hurdle is a big fan of Martin’s leadership. “Russ is not an old dog, but he’s got some tricks. Not specifically that that’s a trick, but he’s got some weapons, different ideas and different programs that he’s seen put into play whether he put them in play or others have put them in play. He’s been at some pretty tradition-rich organizations where you get good experience from some of the older players and retired players that come in. It does speak volume of the guys here of the care. They care about their teammates. They want to do everything they can and they’ll exhaust everything they can to help their teammates.”
Like A.J. Burnett, Martin has moved from the New York Yankees, where the media and fan scrutiny are much more visible, to the Pirates where the fan base and media don’t put as much pressure on players like in other bigger cities. This, again, has appeared to pay off as Martin seems to be coming back to his strengths. Another piece that seems to fit for the Pirates.
