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Friday, October 24, 2008

Jon Heyman: Martin wearing out welcome in L.A.?

The Dodgers were disappointed by the regression of catcher Russell Martin, who in the words of one Dodgers-connected person was “just another catcher’’ this year. Only a year ago Martin was an excellent two-way player who won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger and appeared on the verge of superstardom. The New York Post reported that the Dodgers might even consider trading him.

Martin, Matt Kemp and to a lesser degree Andre Ethier still need to do some growing up, people familiar with the Dodgers say—though the overall performance of the talented trio improved once Ramirez joined the team. James Loney, the fourth young Dodger stud, is said by team officials not to have been infested by the same maturity malady that has affected the others.

Holy crap, young players need to mature? Dodgers ‘source’ my foot, its either Lasorda raging that he doesn’t have any power in the front office, or some other baseball exec trying to drive the price for Martin.

Tripon Posted: October 24, 2008 at 07:35 PM | 32 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: dodgers

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1. flournoy Posted: October 24, 2008 at 08:12 PM (#2994161)

James Loney, the fourth young Dodger stud, is said by team officials not to have been infested by the same maturity malady that has affected the others.

Wouldn't infected work a little better here?

2. Arva Posted: October 24, 2008 at 08:14 PM (#2994166)

As a fan of a team other than the Dodgers, I approve of all plans to trade the immature players and keep Loney to build around.

3. aleskel

Posted: October 24, 2008 at 08:17 PM (#2994168)

I'm picturing Theo Epstein sitting in a leather chair, softly stroking a white cat on his lap

Yes ... yes ... everything's falling into place ...

4. Lazzeri Posted: October 24, 2008 at 08:19 PM (#2994170)

Brian McCann and Geo Soto whip Martin's ass any day of the week.

5. The Essex Snead Posted: October 24, 2008 at 08:21 PM (#2994172)

Only a year ago Martin was an excellent two-way player who won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger and appeared on the verge of superstardom.

Funny what happens to a catcher who's behind the plate for 149 games, and spends his few days off playing third. Also, someone tell Tommy that a .385 OBP is not something you get from "just another catcher."

6. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: October 24, 2008 at 08:22 PM (#2994173)

Martin, Kemp, and Ethier? excellent.

Martin put up a 106 OPS+ in 155 games. That is awesome by catcher standards. I need to google up his win shares.

7. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: October 24, 2008 at 08:23 PM (#2994174)

Martin had a pathetic 22 win shares this year, only tied for 3rd (with Doumit behind Soto and Mauer) in catcher win shares.

8. shoewizard Posted: October 24, 2008 at 08:36 PM (#2994184)

I see that bb-ref park factors have been updated...(Dodger stadium now has a 100 multi year, 95 single year park factor) however it doesn't look like Team or individual OPS+ numbers have been adjusted to that yet. The Dodgers still have the same 95 OPS+ showing they had last week, when the park factor was 105.

Oh...and Martin shows as 103 OPS+, not 106. Same thing though. He's really good, and somebody in that organization is an idiot. Outside of Manny, the only starters above average last year were Martin, Ethier and Kemp, and of course Furcal who missed most of the season. Sheesh.

9. phredbird

Posted: October 24, 2008 at 08:43 PM (#2994190)

look, consider the source. dude probably spoke to plaschke and figured he had the inside story, and we all know what a moron plaschke is.

10. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: October 24, 2008 at 08:49 PM (#2994192)

BRING BACK PAUL LODUCA!!!!!!!!!!

11. Jimmy P Posted: October 24, 2008 at 09:09 PM (#2994204)

he may be done interviewing managerial candidates after meeting with Bob Brenly, Ken Macha and Willie Randolph may suggest he already has a winner (at least in his mind). Brenly and Macha are believed to be the most likely choices.

Anyone else find this quote dumb? The Brewers have interviewed 3 guys, and Heyman says these 2 are most likely. Duh, he's only interviewed 3 guys

Martin, Matt Kemp and to a lesser degree Andre Ethier still need to do some growing up, people familiar with the Dodgers say -- though the overall performance of the talented trio improved once Ramirez joined the team.

Imagine that, when the young guys had an older guy that played really really well and didn't treat them like ####, the young guys played better. I would never have guessed that.

12. winnipegwhip Posted: October 24, 2008 at 09:15 PM (#2994206)

BRING BACK PAUL LODUCA!!!!!!!!!!

"Bring back my Godson." was probably more accurate out of Tommy Lasagna's mouth.

13. ekogan Posted: October 24, 2008 at 09:34 PM (#2994217)

Martin to Boston for Proven Veteran(TM) Mike Lowell?
Then the Dodgers can sign Proven Veteran(TM) Captain Varitek, realizing McCourt's dream of collecting all available ex-Red Sox players.

14. Kiko Sakata

Posted: October 24, 2008 at 09:35 PM (#2994218)

Martin shows as 103 OPS+, not 106

Martin shows a 103 on the Dodgers' team page and a 106 on his player page (or did as I write this). I'm guessing we just caught Sean in the middle of updating park factors. And, of course, what others said. Martin IS still a borderline star. His sOPS+ at catcher (i.e., OPS relative to other catchers) was 123 this season. And he played 155 games - as a catcher (well, he didn't catch them all, but you know what I mean)! That's freaking impressive.

15. Dock Ellis on Acid

Posted: October 24, 2008 at 09:54 PM (#2994231)

"Bring back my Godson." was probably more accurate out of Tommy Lasagna's mouth.

It definitely wasn't "Bring back my son."

16. CW hits the pinata for the candy Posted: October 24, 2008 at 09:57 PM (#2994234)

Dumber than ten dogs.

17. billyshears Posted: October 24, 2008 at 10:22 PM (#2994246)

Carlos Beltran/Brian Schneider for Russell Martin/Andruw Jones?

Probably not quite enough for the Mets. If the Dodgers want to throw in Ethier or Kemp, that would be nice, but that's asking a bit much.

18. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: October 24, 2008 at 10:35 PM (#2994251)

infested by the same maturity malady that has affected the others.

I thought Larry Bowa was on hand to take care of problems like this

I mean, Cano had a horseshit year because Bowa left

(right?)

19. HGH Positive Posted: October 24, 2008 at 10:40 PM (#2994255)

Probably not quite enough for the Mets

Probably?

20. billyshears Posted: October 24, 2008 at 11:06 PM (#2994278)

Probably?

The salaries are about a wash for 2009, but after that point, the Mets would save quite a bit of money. They would have Martin under control for 4 seasons of his prime whereas they only have Beltran under control for 3 more seasons which are likely to be his decline phase. Beltran is better than Martin by enough that those factors don't quite balance things out, but I don't think the deal is that far off.

21. OCD SS Posted: October 24, 2008 at 11:15 PM (#2994283)

Martin to Boston for Proven Veteran(TM) Mike Lowell?
Then the Dodgers can sign Proven Veteran(TM) Captain Varitek, realizing McCourt's dream of collecting all available ex-Red Sox players.

Excellent.

22. Jimmy P Posted: October 24, 2008 at 11:39 PM (#2994290)

Beltran is better than Martin by enough that those factors don't quite balance things out, but I don't think the deal is that far off.

Yes, it is. If the Mets trade Beltran, they're trading away a substantial portion of their offense, and no matter how much better against replacement they get at catcher, or how much money they save, it isn't close. Add in that they'd be replacing a good CF with a bad one, and they're taking a large hit on D, too.

23. Walt Davis Posted: October 25, 2008 at 12:15 AM (#2994306)

hough the overall performance of the talented trio improved once Ramirez joined the team

Clever phrasing. Sure the overall performance of the 3 probably improved -- because Ethier went nuts.

Kemp had a 799 OPS for the year; in Aug and Sept it was 779 and 750. He was slightly worse after Manny's arrival.

Martin was 781 overall and 624 in Aug and 785 in Sept. It took Manny's magic a month to work on him and then it turned him back into Russell Martin.

Dumber than ten dogs.

Mmmmm.... Dodger dogs.

24. Darren

Posted: October 25, 2008 at 12:27 AM (#2994309)

Too good to be true that Boston could get in on this. But I can dream.

25. Darren

Posted: October 25, 2008 at 12:31 AM (#2994310)

Boston should take all these malcontents off their hands:

Loney, Martin, Kemp, Ethier

for

Lowell, Lowrie, Ellsbury, and Masterson.

26. robinred

Posted: October 25, 2008 at 12:37 AM (#2994311)

Then the Dodgers can sign Proven Veteran(TM) Captain Varitek, realizing McCourt's dream of collecting all available ex-Red Sox players

I think he should re-unite Manny Ramirez and Curt Schilling while he's at it.

27. Matt Welch Posted: October 25, 2008 at 02:29 PM (#2994476)

It's simple: Sign veteran clubhouse presence Manny Ramirez, then trade clubhouse cancer Matt Kemp for some much-needed infield help. Like, say, Chone Figgins and Maicer Izturis!

28. Nasty Nate Posted: October 25, 2008 at 04:43 PM (#2994509)

realizing McCourt's dream of collecting all available ex-Red Sox players.

I believe Orlando Cabrera and Pedro Martinez are free agents, and maybe Foulke could be lured out of retirement

29. chris p Posted: October 25, 2008 at 05:08 PM (#2994512)

It's simple: Sign veteran clubhouse presence Manny Ramirez, then trade clubhouse cancer Matt Kemp for some much-needed infield help. Like, say, Chone Figgins and Maicer Izturis!

sounds about right. anaheim is due for a new center fielder after all!

30. akrasian Posted: October 25, 2008 at 05:13 PM (#2994514)

anaheim is due for a new center fielder after all!

Is it that time of year already?

31. Smiling Joe Hesketh Posted: October 25, 2008 at 05:46 PM (#2994520)

I believe Orlando Cabrera and Pedro Martinez are free agents, and maybe Foulke could be lured out of retirement

A touch harsh on Foulkie. He pitched for Beane's Home of Unwanted Pitchers this year. At least he's an active senior.

32. Nasty Nate Posted: October 25, 2008 at 06:11 PM (#2994536)

oops i forgot about that

Long live Keith Foulke! remember, remember the games of oh-four!

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Jon Heyman: Martin wearing out welcome in L.A.?

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