It appears that the Red Sox are not finished capping off one of their most notable winter meeting sessions to date. Evidently Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford were not enough. Now the Boston faithful are learning that Theo Epstein has his sights set on two-time all-star catcher Russell Martin.
Martin was non-tendered last week by the Los Angeles Dodgers. It seems that LA didn’t want to pay Martin a guaranteed sum of $5 million, what with the torn labrum in his hip and the messy ownership divorce and all.
So that opens the door for John Henry and the boys to further solidify the Fenway squad with an all-star catcher who has had a couple of rough seasons and therefore might be gotten on the cheap.
I say might because much like every other acquisition in the game of baseball there are always more sharks than bait fish, and it seems that a few great whites are circling Mr. Martin. It appears that they are all AL East sharks at that.
Seems that the Yankees and Blue Jays are making a run at Martin as well. But who would want to go to Toronto? Let’s examine where Russell would fit best.
In looking at the Yankees they already have two solid catchers. Jorge Posada and Francisco Cervelli. Cervelli, born in 1986, has a lot of good years left in him, and he seems to be playing rather well when spelling Jorge who is pushing 40.
I can’t believe that Russell Martin would be brought in to replace Posada, but nor can I see Martin being brought in as a back-up when they already have a more than capable answer who already knows the rotation in Cervelli. Could it be to DH? I am stumped.
As for the Red Sox, I thought that Theo Epstein was very happy with starter Jarrod Saltalamacchia and back-up Red Sox Captain Jason Varitek. Could it be that Salty is not quite what they were looking for? or is this their way of telling Tek that he has just this next year as a player with the Sox organization because after that it will be Salty and Martin behind the dish?
The Blue Jays have a great up-and-coming catcher in J.P. Arencibia who with Triple-A Las Vegas hit .301 had 33 home runs and 85 RBI, winning the Pacific Coast League MVP.
Jose Molina is their veteran catcher and current starter. Martin is still young and has proved himself to be a great player at a tough position, so maybe the Jays are signaling to Jose that his time is fast approaching.
I have no idea folks. I am baffled here as well. In either organization I cannot see Martin solidifying himself as a starter over the current catchers, with the possible exception of the Blue Jays. Maybe Toronto wouldn’t be such a bad fit; after all, he is Canadian.
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