Martin working his way toward another year in the Bronx?
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Nov 04, 2011 
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Russell Martin did it again last night. He tweeted another message about his offseason training routine, and this time he capped it with a “getting better” hashtag. Clearly the Yankees like the attitude, and they like the bravado. It’s the same kind of “follow me” approach he showed in the clubhouse all season.
“We thought he was Thurman Munson-like,” Brain Cashman said, offering his most eyebrow-raising comparison of this week’s conference call. “I wasn’t here in the ’70s, but you know what Thurman Munson stood for and represented how he played the game and the leadership he provided in the clubhouse. That’s what projected from Russell from L.A. When he was a Dodger and when he was healthy. He came in here and kind of lived up to everything that we’d heard.”
Cashman never came right out and said it this week, but it would be a significant surprise if the Yankees didn’t bring back Martin. Yes, Jesus Montero is ready, and yes, Austin Romine is on the verge, but Martin proved to be a legitimate leader in the clubhouse and with the pitching staff. He’s continued that leadership this offseason, leaving no doubt that he’s working hard and staying in shape.
“We are deep catching-wise, and we do have people who are going to be everyday catchers in the big leagues, I have no doubt about that,” Cashman said. “We have, what I believe is a great acquisition in Russell that provides us with a strong everyday catcher both last year and this year, at the very least if we want it. As well as the ability, if we want to go further than that and they were willing to find common ground, to even do more than one year. I don’t know. I’m not in a position to answer that other than to say we could go a number of different routes there, and the depth of this franchise allows us to play it up for one, and if we want to put all our eggs in the Russell Martin basket, maybe have a conversation there too.
“I don’t know, I’m not in a position to tell you. We haven’t entered the winter really yet. I think that our discussions and conversation and with other clubs will direct that on the planning side of that. But I’m a big fan of Russell Martin. I really like what he does in our clubhouse, on that field, with our staff, with our pitching coach, in that clubhouse. Real proud to say he’s a Yankee.”
Associated Press photo
Martin will definitely be back
Billy’s Back!!
oops, mean Russell…
after the heartbreakin division series, now that free agency has begun i can finally look back at baseball again…
…i missed the reaction to CC deal, im def for it…hope everyone felt the same,
Morning Doc Iac
Martin is pretty much everything you want in a catcher, sure he could be a bit better offensively, but everything else is there. He reminds me of a Pudge-lite when Pudge I guess was on roids. Maybe Martin on roids will give a little more offense?
He is everything that the Red Sox have wanted as a replacement for V Tek and been looking for years. I think it was big he didn’t land there. Salty is fine offensively at times, stinks defensively, but no where near Martin in any way shape or form.
Martin was a tremendous acquisition last season.
I wonder who Cashman might have in mind to be this year’s “Russell Martin” type addition?
Doc-
With regards to CC resigning everyone thought it was a fair deal for both sides, and were happy.
I notice now that the agents are speaking for their clients, telling the media that their clients can pitch in NY. First CJ Wilson and now Mark Buehrle.Trying to get the Yankeesinterested to drive up the price!
http://www.nydailynews.com/spo.....e-1.972076
Martin is a really nice player and very much a gamer. That is why he is the Yankees best trade asset. We tend to fall in love with guys. Fortunately, Cash doesn’t work that way. If there is a good deal out there the Yanks will go for it. When you have surplus at a position you trade it for pitching. Martin could bring a good one.
hey erin
did u miss me, i dont take season endin losses to well so i avioded baseball 
YT thanks, i agree with that, and i liked the article
Russell Martin is excellent at blocking pitches. Montero needs to study him in ST. If not for Martin, Burnett might have had 35 or more wild pitches.
Buerhle is a nice low end option. Has proven he can win, eats innings, lefty, durable, he would slot in nicely as a veteran, but he has shown zero and I mean zero interest beyond the White Sox and St Louis and would essentially be a lefty Garcia for us, although I trust Buerhle in a big game more than I would Garcia.
CJ too much money too many years. Only trying to get teams involved because after a crap post season, he lost quite a bit of money and interest from teams who might have been on the fence with him.
Doc Iac- I did! But it’s very understandable.
Martin is fine defensively, but a hole in the lineup.
I gag every time I hear that Munson comparison. Ridiculous.
russellmartin55 Good morning everyone. Enjoy the day!
Ideal trade scenario : Frankie Cervelli to Detroit for LHRP Phil Coke. Fills need for both teams.
108 —
That doesn’t get done straight up. Maybe if you add Warren or Phelps
Good Morning Ladies and Gents:
Here is a funny for those in need of a laugh this morning.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/bl.....lb-wp26322
Why would Cervelli for Coke fill both needs. Fills a need for us, they desperately searching for a backup catchers that they want to give up a useful reliever?
Knowing how big of a Saved By the Bell fan he is, this must have been very thrilling for Granderson.
http://news.daylife.com/photo/.....rk+Yankees
Not to put a damper on the idea but if Detroit is looking for a BU catcher they can sign FA Jose Molina or someone else and keep Coke. There are plenty of BUC available on the market that you can get for peanuts.
Russell Martin is excellent at blocking pitches. Montero needs to study him in ST. If not for Martin, Burnett might have had 35 or more wild pitches.
——-
AJ had 25 wild pitches last season.
TEN more than anyone else in MLB.
Erin-
Looks like Screech has gotten taller.
Phranchise-
When comparing the numbers from just this season Buehrle from the right side is pretty much the same as Garcia. Buehrle might be interested in the Cubs also. Expect Buehrle wants at least 2 years.
Never understood how that show (Saved by the Bell) became so popular.
YT-that’s one of the weirdest mascots I’ve ever seen. From the back it looks like Santa Claus.
LGY -
And he would have had MORE!!!
Giuseppe Franco November 4th, 2011 at 10:11 am
Never understood how that show (Saved by the Bell) became so popular.
*********************
It’s addicting. One of my first crushes was Zack Morris.
If Posada had been the primary catcher this year people would be using the 25 wild pitches as evidence to why he can’t catch AJ.
Martin can’t be that great at blocking pitches if AJ is going to lead the league by such a wide margin.
Vineyard-
Lenny Dykstra vs Jose Canseco-One admitted steroid user vs one who used and put on about 20 lbs of muscle when he played with the Phillies. Baseball reference.com has him listed at 160lbs.
GF,
very easy, like Erin said there was Zack (and I guess Slater) for the girls and the 3 beauties for us guys! That’s it, nothing more complicated than that…
LGY-
Did you see how many wild pitches he saved?
Almost every pitch AJ throws has WP potential.
Trader:
Two guys now desperately trying to make a buck in a PPV event ? I think last time Jose sent his twin brother Ozzie to box for him and got sued for it.
Jose lost that lawsuit to the tune of $7600:
http://www.radaronline.com/exc.....nnsylvania
Interesting article from MLBTRs.
Giants need to bolster offense- so trade Lincecum to free up money to go after Fielder/Pujols/Reyes.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/s.....ace-110311
Thanks for the link. Payday for that match went right out the window. Talk about an exercise in futility.
86w183 November 4th, 2011 at 9:47 am
108 —
That doesn’t get done straight up. Maybe if you add Warren or Phelps.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’d still do it. Cervelli is squeezed out by Montero and Romine plus Sanchez and other catchers at low levels moving up.
Cashman has said he wants another LH in the bullpen. Victor Martinez will exclusively DH next year and Aviles has no backup catcher.
Detroit has LH’s on their 40-man roster to compete for a bullpen spot.
YT:
People forget that Lincecum’s numbers (BB, Hits, ERA) have gone up the past two which I think is due more to poor run support than anything else. Timmy, Cain, Bumgarner, Vogelsong all suffer from the same thing. Probably tough for them to go out knowing they need to give up 2 runs or less to be successful.
The Giants have plenty of money, they just don’t want to spend it after getting burned signing Zito and Rowand. They are always complaining that servicing their stadium debt comes first.
TheOnion Conclusion Of MLB Season Fails To Tie Up Several Loose Ends http://onion.com/rsk4Ot
Typo: S/B………. the past two years
Please find a lefty for the bullpen who can get righties out.
Righties batted .314 off Coke.
Vineyard-
Lincecum was backed with a measley 2.79 runs/game. I wonder if there’s another ACE on any team that has gotten less run support?
Maybe the Yankees can trade for one of these former Yankees who can get lefties out:
Lefty Mike Dunn .198 BAA
Righty Tyler Clippard .169 BAA
One good thing about Martin is that he “hates” the Red Sox.
Until later everyone. Have a great day.
YankeesPR Congrats to @cgrand14 for being selected by his peers as the 2011 Outstanding Player in the AL!
When I saw this topic I expected the Martin bashers to be all over this…….
Pat M- me too. The “I Hate Russell Martin” Club must be taking a day off
YankeesPR You can catch Brian Cashman coming up at approx 11:35 am on the @dpshow
Slow day on the LoHud. Is everybody having a long weekend except me??
Do those commenters “hate” Martin? Or do some of them just realize he’s a problem in the lineup?
Martin AND Gardner for all of next season, occupying two lineup spots?
I think what the Yanks need to do is get Montero into about 45 percent of games from behind the plate. The remainder, as a DH. That way, Joe has a chance to get over his phobia that Montero catching will result as instant death.
Rather, he may see that actually, it means life for a lineup that couldn’t survive all the flailing in the postseason, including Martin waving at pitches. Gardner’s lack of slugging also becomes much less of an issue, and he goes back to bringing a neat dynamic, once Montero is firmly entrenched.
In Montero, you have an OPS machine…not a catcher who hits .240, doesn’t walk enough and hits the occasional home run. Even if he starts Martin in postseason games, having some faith in Montero means the manager has the sense then to not allow a critical AB to go to seed.
I think though that Cashman and his romanticized idea that Martin is somehow a Munson type is showing that both their judgments may be cloudy. People fall in love with a certain quality a player has (in this case, it’s Martin’s dirt kicking defense) and just assume something “intangible” in their makeup will creep into their bat. Except, that rarely happens. Fans can fall in love and have that fantasy, but it’s pretty dangerous if the GM and manager do the like.
J. Alfred Prufrock November 4th, 2011 at 11:49 am
Do those commenters ?hate? Martin?
********************
Fair point. OK, I’ll rename the club the “I Hate Russell Martin in the lineup” Club.
I want Martin back…..I think its a no brainer.
At the same time I want Montero to step up and take his job by the end of the season…..that may not happen but that’s what I hope happens.
YT:
Watching the Giants try to squeeze out runs is painful. I would love to get into the heads of their SP when they pitch to know how perfect they think they need to be on that particular day. Almost no margin for error. Talk out here is they are thinking of offering Beltran a three year deal. Pretty ballsy I’d say to go 3 on him. Supposedly they will be in on Reyes as well as they have no SS.
Rest In Peace, Bob Forsch. He passed away too young at 61. Damned fine Cardinals pitcher and brother of Ken Forsch.
JackCurryYES The high speed train in Taiwan is pretty darn sweet. Its smooth and it flies.
Pat M. November 4th, 2011 at 11:10 am
When I saw this topic I expected the Martin bashers to be all over this…….
————————————————————————————————————————-
They’re all out getting new keyboards after wearing them out beating out “I hate Teixeira”, “I hate Swisher” and “I hate Burnett”. They’ll be back later.
I don’t care much for attitude, bravado, grittiness, leadership, weightlifting, etc. That only got us .237. He needs to work on his hitting.
I don’t see how trading Lincecum to make room for more offense would help the Giants…..it would take away their current strength. They need to add offense to their pitching…
And no, I don’t hate Martin, I’d just don’t care for fluff and peripherals, I’d rather see him in a batting cage.
Yeah, the GM, his staff, and manager – a pretty good defensive catcher, don’t know what they’re talking about. Maybe they should release him so that boston can sign him.
Some folks need to be on that high speed train in Taiwan.
JackCurryYES The high speed train in Taiwan is pretty darn sweet. Its smooth and it flies.
———————————————————–
Wish we had high speed rail here instead of the 1950′s system we currently have here
Yeah, game calling, handling a pitching staff, clubhouse leadership, work ethic and the occasional show of power mean nothing.
He’s an excellent catcher to have there to help the transition to the future.
Simon, it might be better if a few of them were under the train.
Let a rookie catch 100+ games, from CC, AJ Wild Pitch Burnett, and you know at the end of the game, call the pitches for Mo. That makes sense.
What’s more reasonable, is Montero being phased in as an MLB catcher over the next 2 seasons to see what we really have. Let’s not annoint him any more than Cashman has annointed Martin.
New Post- Cashman on C.J. Wilson: “He’s the most attractive candidate”
Didn’t want to say it GB, though the imagery did cross my mind…
Defensively, as a receiver and as a team leader in the field, the comparison to Munson makes some sense. Both played hard and got dirty and made runners who tried to crash the plate think twice before doing it again. My recollection is that Munson called a pretty good game, a part of the game at which Martin excels.
Obviously there’s a big difference at the plate. Martin has had some good clutch hits, but it was Munson whom I think about 90% of the ML managers at the time voted as the opposition player they least wanted to come to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning of a tie game. Munson was a legit 3 hitter, which is a rarity for a C, and in a pennant winning lineup to boot.
The Yanks definitely should sign Martin, possibly for a few years. What we know he can do is keep the pitching staff together and at its best. In the meantime, Montero will have the opportunity to show (a) if he really belongs behind the plate or (b) if his bat is good enough to force him into the lineup somewhere (perhaps as a regular DH) without having the pressure of having to be the team’s catcher come hell or high water and the Yanks will be able to evaluate Romine’s potential as well.
Note that Cashman likes to play from strength, and signing Martin would enable him to do just that with the catching position.