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NL Central Notes: Martinez, Hamels, Diaz

By Steve Adams | February 27, 2019 at 4:26pm CDT

Carlos Martinez’s right shoulder is a major source of uncertainty for the Cardinals right now, as the righty was in camp with his arm in a sling yesterday following a platelet-rich plasma injection. Martinez was already halfway through a two-week shutdown when he received the injection, and the Cardinals indicated yesterday that said injection could push his timeline for throwing back another week. There’s been ample talk of Martinez pitching in a relief capacity this season, but Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch quotes Martinez as plainly and confidently stating, “I’m going to start, man.” Because Martinez won’t resume throwing until mid-March, it seems virtually impossible for him to build up to a starter’s workload by the team’s season opener on March 28. As such, if there is indeed a plan for Martinez to work in the rotation, he’d need to start the season on the injured list. As Hummel writes, that’d open the door for one of Dakota Hudson or Austin Gomber to step into the starting five to begin the season. Manager Mike Shildt praised both Hudson and Gomber when discussing potential rotation options with Hummel.

Elsewhere in the NL Central…

  • Asked about his future in the game Wednesday, Cubs lefty Cole Hamels told a flock of reporters that he has zero intention of retiring anytime soon (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand). There’s been little reason to think that Hamels, who just turned 35 in December, would give serious consideration to retirement, but his answer was nonetheless entertaining and telling of his goals. Hamels gave a blunt “Hell no!” when asked if he’s considered retirement and voiced a desire to play until he’s 45 years old, noting that he was a teammate of ageless wonder Jamie Moyer early in his career. Hamels had a rocky start to the season with the Rangers in 2018 but was revitalized by a trade to Chicago, as he pitched to a brilliant 2.36 ERA with 8.7 K.9, 2.7 BB/9, 0.7 HR/9 and a 47.7 percent grounder rate in 76 1/3 innings with the Cubs (12 starts).
  • Pirates catcher Elias Diaz is battling a viral illness, and it’s questionable whether he’ll be ready for Opening Day, as Nubyjas Wilborn of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that Diaz will be shut down from baseball activity for “a couple of weeks.” The 28-year-old Diaz quietly enjoyed somewhat of a breakout season in 2018, hitting .286/.339/.452 with 10 homers and a dozen doubles in just 277 plate appearances. He’s still firmly behind Francisco Cervelli on the team’s depth chart, but with Cervelli entering the final season of his current contract, the 2019 campaign could be a proving grounds for Diaz as he eyes the starter’s job in 2019. Presumably, 29-year-old Jacob Stallings would serve as Cervelli’s backup early in the year if Diaz isn’t ready to go, as he’s the only other catcher on Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster. The Bucs have minor league veteran Steven Baron in camp on a minor league deal as well.
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Chicago Cubs Pittsburgh Pirates St. Louis Cardinals Austin Gomber Carlos Martinez Cole Hamels Dakota Hudson Elias Diaz Francisco Cervelli Jacob Stallings

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View Comments (32)

Comments

  1. dalejr

    4 years ago

    What a bust Martinez is

    Reply
    • baseballpun

      4 years ago

      Wrong.

      Reply
    • gocrazyfolks

      4 years ago

      Yes, he’s only been a top-15 pitcher in the NL since 2015. Such a bust.

      Reply
      • dobrien13

        4 years ago

        Top 15…??? He had two solid seasons with ERA+ in the low 130s.

        Reply
        • Cam

          4 years ago

          Since 2015, Martinez has been 13th in the NL in fWAR, 12th in ERA, 14th in ERA-, 15th in FIP.

          So yeah, pretty accurate statement.

        • Juicemane 2019

          4 years ago

          So Top 15 NL pitcher when healthy but not higher 14…got it.

          And he can only put up “top 15” stats when healthy so…I would disagree

        • dobrien13

          4 years ago

          What about ALL the other stats…or did you just pick the ones where he barely made it?

        • Cam

          4 years ago

          I grabbed industry standard stats – production, expected production, and WAR. What else do you want, a side of fries too?

    • the cuban solution

      4 years ago

      Reply
    • Strike Four

      4 years ago

      your comment is a bigger one

      Reply
  2. TwinsVet

    4 years ago

    Steve’s fan club was growing worried, glad to see him back online and posting finally.

    Reply
    • 94yankees

      4 years ago

      Your obsession with Adams is creepy

      Reply
      • BrewsingBlue82

        4 years ago

        Or is he secretly Steve?

        Reply
      • TwinsVet

        4 years ago

        He’s the Pride of Minnesota. St Paul’s Prodigal Son. We all feel this way about him in these parts. His legions of fans grows by the year.

        Reply
        • BrewsingBlue82

          4 years ago

          Didn’t he leave Minnesota?

  3. bucketbrew35

    4 years ago

    Keep going Cole! Hopefully they bring him back to Philly to finish out his career on top.

    Reply
  4. ronnsnow

    4 years ago

    Diaz is quietly very good and deserves to be a starter. I wish the Dodgers would have bit on Cervelli over Martin.

    Reply
    • Mendoza Line 215

      4 years ago

      They need to have three catchers with Cervelli,and Diaz has missed almost as much time over the last three years as him.You saw what happened three years ago when they needed 4 or 5 catchers.The Dodgers clearly wanted him on the cheap,and the Pirates wisely kept him.They May plan to trade him at the trade deadline if and when they are out of the race.
      They said last year that they would mix Cervelli in to first base so we will see what they do if they do not trade him this Spring.
      I think that they could use someone at Indianapolis with more hitting ability than Steven Baron.

      Reply
  5. Payne Train

    4 years ago

    Hoping gomber gets the rotation while Hudson secures 7th inning and some 8th inning duties. It’s only a matter of time till Wacha is hurt again, so might as well expect Hudson and Gomber to start

    Reply
  6. bucketbrew35

    4 years ago

    Still getting used to the Disabled List being changed to the “Injured List.” PC nonsense.

    Reply
  7. thickiedon

    4 years ago

    Keuchel has seemed like a sensible addition to St. Louis but now it seems inevitable.

    Reply
    • Mikel Grady

      4 years ago

      Except for $$$ and wasn’t Martinez slated for pen anyway ?

      Reply
      • natelowda2

        4 years ago

        he says that he wants to start

        Reply
      • thickiedon

        4 years ago

        Given his current arm troubles, bullpen seems like the wise destination this season. Keuchel at 3/$63MM before he returns to H-town

        Reply
  8. omahamadness

    4 years ago

    daved where are you?

    Reply
  9. Lanidrac

    4 years ago

    Why just Hudson and Gomber? Gant and Poncedeleon are just as likely of candidates at this point to fill in, especially Gant after the excellent job he did as a long-term fill-in for last year’s rotation.

    Reply
  10. wesstl

    4 years ago

    Stick a fork in Carlos.

    Reply
  11. mlb1225

    4 years ago

    Pirates almost need a tandem behind the plate if they want to use Cervelli. Every time they give him a starters work load, he gets injured.

    Reply
  12. jonesadoug

    4 years ago

    C Martinez can you say Tommy John???

    Reply
    • Teufelshunde4

      4 years ago

      Obviously you dont know difference between shoulder & elbow..smh

      Reply
  13. DarkSide830

    4 years ago

    i wonder if, say, three more strong years puts Hamels in serious Hall conversation. He already has a 3.40 ERA through 13 seasons, which is pretty decent.

    Reply
    • redsfan48

      4 years ago

      I think he’s already a serious Hall candidate. Compare him to Roy Halladay and his numbers aren’t far off. More career strikeouts and at least close in nearly every other stat. A few more good years and I think he’s a near-lock, but now I think he at least has a legitimate case

      Reply

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