A month ago, Ben Nicholson-Smith identified Russell Martin as a non-tendered player who was contributing with a new team. If Martin gets his way, he'll be with that new team in 2012 as well. The backstop told George A. King III of The New York Post that he's interested in staying with the Yankees beyond the season.
"If you are asking me if I want to be here, yes. But they are in a nice position with the quality of kids they have," said Martin, referring to catching prospects Jesus Montero and Austin Romine, both of whom are with the big league team as September call-ups.
Martin is under team control next year, but that's hardly a guarantee he'll return. The Dodgers cut him loose last offseason because of declining production and a hip injury that ended his season in August. With the Yankees, Martin has hit .236/.322/.410 with 17 homers, more than he hit in 2009 and 2010 combined (12). He's also thrown out 35 of 121 attempted basestealers (28.9%).
Martin is arbitration-eligible for the fourth time this winter as a Super Two player. It's tough to predict his 2012 salary because he's coming off the non-tender, but it could exceed $7MM. The consensus is that Montero isn't a catcher long-term, and Romine has played just six games above Double-A, so there's certainly an opening for Martin on the Yankees roster next season.
He’s been a great addition to the team. He’s stayed healthy for the most part. I would keep him around for another year.
i would keep him around for another year as a back up to Jesus Montero/Austin Romine, someone has to show them the ropes
He’s arbitration eligible for another year. He’s seeing at least a raise to $6 million, which is silly to pay for a sole back up catcher, even for the Yankees.
Jorge Posada has been one of my favorites, but it’s been painful to watch as he has deteriorated defensively these past few years. Martin has been a God send this year, not so much with his hitting, but with everything else. He’s taken command of the pitching staff, has made a number of crucial defensive plays as well as thrown out a slew of baserunners in important situations. At $5.2 Mil he’s a steal, I could see him get a 2 year deal for $10Mil, just until either Montero or Romaine are ready to play everyday
I see him coming back as the starting catcher. I think Montero should be like Victor Martinez and be the DH and backup catcher. Romine gets to finally play in AAA and Cervelli probably traded unless the Yankees decide Montero will be strictly a DH with no C time. Hopefully he can learn to backup 1B like VMart too.
Martin has been fantastic and if it hadn’t been for his toughness and playing through several nagging injuries coupled with the fact that Girardi ran him into the ground at the start of the year, his offensive numbers would probably be much higher. He’s still drawing walks at over 10% and hitting for power (.174 ISO) but he’s been a bit unlucky with by far his lowest BABIP of his career while his batted ball data only changed slightly with his LD% going up and his FB% going up a couple of percentage points compared to his career numbers. Those nagging injuries and bad luck hurt his batting average which is what’s holding down his triple slash numbers since like I said he has a good BB% and ISO.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Yankees trade Romine and decide Montero isn’t a catcher long term or trade Montero, leaving them without a MLB ready starting catcher and end up extending Martin for a year or two. He seems to fit in great in the clubhouse and the pitchers like him. I also think the Yankees are saying a lot about their confidence in Montero to be a catcher when they bring a kid up basically with almost no experience beyond AA to catch instead of him. That and Posada. I don’t really see an ace becoming available on the trade market this winter but every trade deadline/offseason plenty of people become available that nobody thought would have a chance at being traded so who knows. Either way with Martin/Montero/Romine/Sanchez/Murphy/Cervelli the Yankees have a definite strength to trade from.
This offseason should be a relatively easy one for the Yankees. Re-sign CC after he opts to another huge deal. Pick up Swisher’s option. Try and find some other starters to go along with CC/Nova/Hughes. Get another LOOGY in the pen. Maybe try and get Granderson/Cano to sign an extension. Pray they can hold on in 2012 until they sign Kemp and one or two of whoever makes it to free agency of Greinke/Cain/Danks/Hamels/Liriano/Marcum.
Prime example why people get irritated by Yankee fans.
I’m sure everyone has a wish list however, yankee fans are the ones mainly being criticized. It is not illegal to express your opinion and if people are going to criticize than why bother speaking.
Yeah, every fan has a list of players they would like. But rarely, if ever, do I see fans of other teams penciling THREE elite free agents onto their roster two seasons away.
Just expressing my opinion.
I said Kemp and one or two FA starters. So I didn’t say three. I said possibly three. They did it in 2009. This isn’t just some ridiculous fantasy. As I explained there’s a very good chance of Kemp hitting FA right when they’ll have a spot open for him with little to no OF prospects coming up by then. It’s a perfect fit. Plus the SP is a no brainer if some of them can make it to FA without falling off or getting hurt or signing extensions. And it’s basically one year from now. Not two. A lot can happen in a season but unless Kemp gets traded at the deadline and extended I see no way he doesn’t reach FA.
Perhaps you should try rooting for a new team, then.
Because I know my team and how they operate? I assume you’re whining about me talking about the Yankees signing Kemp and/or the pitchers. Kemp is an absolute stud and Swisher’s contract is up when Kemp is scheduled to become a FA. And because he plays for a team that was seized by MLB I seriously doubt they’ll be able to sign him to a nine figure deal within the next year. And they’re always looking for top pitching. With that many top pitchers becoming free agents at the same time I assume they all won’t sign extensions/get hurt so I’m sure the Yankees will sign one.
I’m not talking about the Yankees somehow ending up with Tulo or Longoria or Kershaw or King Felix; players that are locked up. I’m talking about them more than likely being in on one of the best players in the game when they’ll have an opening in RF and some FA starters. So get your panties out of a bunch and quit whining about the Yankees. When elite players reach FA and the Yankees have holes that they’ll fill, they always go after them. It’s ridiculous to act like you wouldn’t want your team to do the same thing.
If you go back to my original post, you will see that I didn’t make a complaint about the Yankees–it’s the fans that think that most great free agents must end up in NY (and I realize this isn’t all Yankee fans).
I totally respect that they put their money back onto the field, and you are right–I wish my team could do the same. It’s just that there are plenty of other teams that will be willing to spen on Kemp/Greinke/Cain/Hamels, so to assume to get even two of those guys in one offseason comes off as arrogant even if it has happened before.
Entitlement — it’s the life force for Yankees fans. It’s been that way at least since I was a Little Leaguer, and that was a long time ago.
Steinbrenner(s) have bought titles only since ’73. doubt many Yankees fans stuck around while CBS was running them into the ground and many other teams fans were basking during that somewhat hilarious period of ownership for them.
Maybe, but entitlement was fully in effect during most of the 1960s. Yankees fans were so obnoxious when I was growing up in the NY area that I became a big Mets fan out of spite. I didn’t care if my team came in tenth — at least I wasn’t a Yankees fan. The faith and patience of hardcore Mets fans were rewarded in ’69 — two qualities of fandom I’ve rarely seen in Yankees fans.
Would that be the local fans though? I was mainly speaking of “Yankee nation” (no disrespect on the choice of words there) and how many crawl out of the wood work when some teams are doing good, then are POOF.. Gone… When the team struggle.. As a Red Sox fan for 50 years.. Have seen this time after time also.
Do agree with Mets though. That miracle mets team of ’69 was sure something and one of the greatest surprise teams of all time, not to mention beat one of the best AL teams (orioles) of all time in the Series.
I think Cervelli will either be the Yankees long term Back-up catcher or trade bait for pitching
Ya I mean if Martin comes back and Montero does the VMart thing, Cervelli would have to go down to at the least AA to get playing time. And who knows where Sanchez/Murphy end up. There might not even be room for him in the minors or majors and with a .322 wOBA he’s an above average hitting catcher at a time when the position is extremely thin. I think he gets packaged with some young arms for a pitcher at some point.
Are Yankees looking for AAA pitching?
Cervelli has another concussion folks his 3rd in the recent past in all likelihood his trade value is very little and he’ll probably wind up on the scranton shuttle next year sharing time with Romine at AAA and coming up to majors if Montero or Martin get hurt or underperform. If he stays healthy in that role and Montero and Romine perform well than in 2013 I could see Montero and Romine at the Majors with Maritn gone and Cervelli playing 3rd catcher in case Romine proves not to be ready. I dont think Cervelli for the Yankees he’ll ever be more than a backup AAA catcher after all his injuries. Montero and Romine will get there shots in the next 2 years and if they fail Sanchez will get his.
A-Rod’s body is breaking down and he still has 5 years left. He needs to be a DH for the rest of his career if he wants to stay healthy. Montero’s value will be at an all time high this winter teams like the Mariners need power hitters and Jesus wouldn’t have to play the field there. Maybe pair him with Manny to get Felix. Stick Chavez at 3rd or find someone who can fill in. A-Rod as a DH can near the 40 HR mark again w/o the wear & tear of playing the field. Oh and relax Yankee fans, it’s just a post on the internet.
Felix won’t be traded
The Yanks have done a great job of shaping their teams over the years, they always make the playoffs. I know it’s all about the money, but that wasn’t true this year. That being said it looks like the Tigers and Rangers are the hot AL teams going into the playoffs.
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I see no reason not to bring Martin back at this point. Romine needs some time at AAA and from everything being said it appears Montero will not be a full-time catcher (haven’t personally seen him so can only go by what the “experts” say). Martin has a year experience with the pitching staff which is a plus. So for me it would be a no-brainer. And if he gets a bump in arbitration it is not like he plays for a team that is looking to save every dollar they can.
I see no reason why the Yanks can’t have Martin and Montero split time at C and DH, keep Cervelli as the backup and send Romine to AAA for a full season. Martin, realistically doesn’t need to C more than 100 games anyway. As far as DH is concerned…
Catching duties: Martin 100 games, Montero 40 games and Cervelli 22 games.
DH duties: Montero 100 games, Arod 20 games, Martin 20 games, Tex/Jeter/a LH DH 20 games or so.
Don’t see the problem. Cervelli gets the short end of the stick but it is what it is.
Would welcome Martin back with open arms. Definitely proving the doubters wrong this year.