2012 Russell Martin Performance Thread

[snapple]

I was trying to hold back on starting another thread for a player, but he's just being too awesome right now.

"I did the same type of work that they do in the weight room; my strength coach works with hockey players and MMA guys, so my conditioning level was just about as good as theirs," Martin said.

"Not quite as good -- those guys are fighting for their lives. I don't need to be prepared to fight three- or five-minute rounds. I have to run to first base, then jog around the bases when I do my job right."

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...913606173-1038

I hope he plays much better!

[awy]

i think he should be given more rest time towards teh end of the season.

[Shadoux101]

He could play exactly the same and I'd be more then happy.

[snapple]

Now, I wasn't on these forums till whatever date of 2011 it says under my name/avatar. Was Posada pretty open about how pitchers were pitching to the press? I know he was open and honest with them, but if they questions never came up etc.

[The Comic Book Guy]

i think he should be given more rest time towards teh end of the season.

I mean, he only started 118 games last year. In the past he's started 145, 147, and 136. It's easy to say that he was worn down at the end of the year, but the truth is he hit pretty terribly from mid-April on.

That said, I'm expecting a rebound. His BABIP was awfully low last year, despite his batted ball rates being more or less in line with his career numbers. He probably won't pop as many homers, but I'd be mildly surprised if he didn't post an OBP around .350 next year.

[hellonewman]

i think he should be given more rest time towards teh end of the season.

I mean, he only started 118 games last year. In the past he's started 145, 147, and 136. It's easy to say that he was worn down at the end of the year, but the truth is he hit pretty terribly from mid-April on.

That said, I'm expecting a rebound. His BABIP was awfully low last year, despite his batted ball rates being more or less in line with his career numbers. He probably won't pop as many homers, but I'd be mildly surprised if he didn't post an OBP around .350 next year.

I'm going to give awy the benefit of the doubt and guess that the "teh" in the post is a sign he was joking - I hope so, since going into the season with a strategy of resting someone late is, well, crazy.

[Shadoux101]

Looks like a very creative 2 year extension is on the way for Russell.

[NoodleRay]

I'm pretty sure that getting flattened at the plate with that elbow to the head might have taken a little wind out of his sail. What ever the case he played hard, maybe trying a little to hard at times, even so he made a believer out of me.

Lets face facts his defense is of gold glove caliber, he's like a wall back there, and he cuts down even the fastest base runners. I'm sold and convinced that we have the right man behind the plate...

[Shadoux101]

I'm pretty sure that getting flattened at the plate with that elbow to the head might have taken a little wind out of his sail. What ever the case he played hard, maybe trying a little to hard at times, even so he made a believer out of me.

Lets face facts his defense is of gold glove caliber, he's like a wall back there, and he cuts down even the fastest base runners. I'm sold and convinced that we have the right man behind the plate...

His pitch framing is among the tops in the majors as well. Russell has saved 70 runs over the past 4 years from his pitch framing. Only Brian McCann has saved more runs via framing in that time period. Jose Molina is Godly in that regards, though. He saves just about as many runs framing pitches in less then half the playing time. If you were to average his numbers over the same playing time as McCann and Russell, Jose would be +150-+160 Runs saved.

To put that into perspective. Over the same time period. Robinson Cano is +68 runs above the average MLB Hitter. Troy Tulowitzki is +71 runs.

[snapple]

That's insane.

[Shadoux101]

That's insane.

It really is..

Last year, I knew this was going to be one of the biggest yet underrated acquisitions.

I might have even said that on here in one of my very rare posts back then.

[Shadoux101]

Contract talks are off the table until the offseason.

Both sides agreed they were too far apart to talk about it now.

[snapple]

He really is a phenomenal catcher. Plus, he seems to be a great guy. Everything he does seems to have this level of class to it that I just envy.

[JL25and3]

Plus, have I mentioned that his middle name is Coltrane?

[snapple]

Plus, have I mentioned that his middle name is Coltrane?

I don't think it can be mentioned enough. And, it is no coincidence that it is Coltrane.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell...#Personal_life

[JL25and3]

I don't think it can be mentioned enough. And, it is no coincidence that it is Coltrane.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell...#Personal_life

I knew it was deliberate. And I agree, it can't be mentioned enough.

[snapple]

I don't listen to much jazz, but Coltrane is my 1b and Miles Davis is my 1a

[awy]

His pitch framing is among the tops in the majors as well. Russell has saved 70 runs over the past 4 years from his pitch framing. Only Brian McCann has saved more runs via framing in that time period. Jose Molina is Godly in that regards, though. He saves just about as many runs framing pitches in less then half the playing time. If you were to average his numbers over the same playing time as McCann and Russell, Jose would be +150-+160 Runs saved.

To put that into perspective. Over the same time period. Robinson Cano is +68 runs above the average MLB Hitter. Troy Tulowitzki is +71 runs.

well a way of confirmingi the numbers in the neighborhood is to look at pitcher's era differential when pitching to him vs backup catcher or something. the sample is probably not very well ordered though

[NoodleRay]

His pitch framing is among the tops in the majors as well. Russell has saved 70 runs over the past 4 years from his pitch framing. Only Brian McCann has saved more runs via framing in that time period. Jose Molina is Godly in that regards, though. He saves just about as many runs framing pitches in less then half the playing time. If you were to average his numbers over the same playing time as McCann and Russell, Jose would be +150-+160 Runs saved.

To put that into perspective. Over the same time period. Robinson Cano is +68 runs above the average MLB Hitter. Troy Tulowitzki is +71 runs.

I really like the plus minus system, although it doesn't always apply. Still over a hole season it seems to be a telling stat.

[Gigi Buffon]

Contract talks are off the table until the offseason.

Both sides agreed they were too far apart to talk about it now.

Martin was a great pickup last season but I'd be very hesitant about a long term extension.

[JL25and3]

His pitch framing is among the tops in the majors as well. Russell has saved 70 runs over the past 4 years from his pitch framing. Only Brian McCann has saved more runs via framing in that time period. Jose Molina is Godly in that regards, though. He saves just about as many runs framing pitches in less then half the playing time. If you were to average his numbers over the same playing time as McCann and Russell, Jose would be +150-+160 Runs saved.

To put that into perspective. Over the same time period. Robinson Cano is +68 runs above the average MLB Hitter. Troy Tulowitzki is +71 runs.

Where did you get that stat from, and how is "pitch framing" measured?

[SatchelPaigeYankee]

^baseball prospectus. they've done some INSANE studies on catcher defense over the last 2 years or so. Jose Molina is basically god

[Shadoux101]

Martin was a great pickup last season but I'd be very hesitant about a long term extension.

The Yankees approached Martin and his agent about the extension. They are looking forward to 2014 and saw and opportunity to get under the cap and buy them a few years to develope another potential catcher. Three years max.

Martin's agent said they would be willing to work something out where he wouldn't be paid too much in 2014. Basically, heavily frontloaded for 2012 & 2013.

[Shadoux101]

^baseball prospectus. they've done some INSANE studies on catcher defense over the last 2 years or so. Jose Molina is basically god

What he said.

[grizy]

Where did you get that stat from, and how is "pitch framing" measured?

That. The irony is they've repeated the studies from different angles trying to discredit the results because they are so incredible it's hard to accept a catcher can make so much difference.

But they keep coming up with numbers to confirm catcher defense is more important than anyone believed.