A Make or Break Season For Fernando Martinez

19 Comments + Add Comment

• Lifelongmetsfan January 4, 2011 at 3:08 pm

  Martinez continues to develop physically, the difference in his physical appearance from 2 years ago to the present is remarkable.
  Martinez never projected to have anymore than average major league speed given his physicality.
  It is true that Martinez has had injuries which have resulted in the loss of some physical skill, such as elbow resulting in loss of arm strength. Realistically Martinez is going to be a left fielder on the major league level.
  I still like him. How can you not get excited watching him take swings! I would LOVE for Martinez to have a great spring and make the team as the starting right fielder! Of course then its a question of were to play Pagen?
  • Des January 4, 2011 at 3:47 pm

    Watching Fernando and Reese Havens swing the bat makes me hope for their spots on the roster. Quick bats, compact swings. Be patient, fans.
  • t agee January 4, 2011 at 4:03 pm

    Only in an over 40 wooden bat league have I ever seen anyone hit the ball as softly to 2B or back to the box like Fern does. And he does it way more often. In 45 years of watching baseball I have never in my life seen a more underwhelming prospect ever and I just wonder what is the problem? Is it our scouts, developmental personnel, owners? What the hell is going on here and how come it is allowed to continue?

    Where are OUR Tim Linsecum’s, Robinson Cano’s, and Neftali Feliz’?
    • alwaysnextyear January 4, 2011 at 4:05 pm

      playing SS and 3B.

      and with any luck, 1B.
• Dave Upstate NY January 4, 2011 at 3:28 pm

  They’re always so quick to label these nobodys as 5 tool. I thought 5 tool Milledge was rather slow and certainly didn’t show much power. Now there’s the comments on Martinez missing some wrenches and screwdrivers in his toolbox. What a shame we don’t have a better scouting system.
  • t agee January 4, 2011 at 3:48 pm

    Almost all the time we sign or draft an IFA or US born amateur he is either a bust, frequently injured, doesn’t develop or comes up here lacking one thing or another.

    Some of the players that we have drafted and then didn’t sign have done more for the teams they eventually did sign with than 99% of the guys we did sign.

    The only thing that has kept us out of Indian/Pirate/Royal territory is trading prospects who like most of ours don’t pan out, for players like Leiter, Piazza, Delgado, and Santana.

    Even the high end IFA’s like Fern and Alex Escobar don’t pan out. Can anyone really say they’d be surprised if Flores moves off SS and turns out to be a mediocre LFer?

    Very few of the pitchers we have drafted haven’t come down with arm/shoulder/elbow problems some of which they showed up their first day with. One first round pitcher we drafted cashed his check and quit after one year.

    This organization continues to hand over #1 draft choices and then with the chance to pick some up, turns around and gives them away despite having so many needs at so many positions year after year and so many busts and so many constantly injured prospects and so many under developed minor leaguers brought up here too early and then played out of position.

    I just can’t understand how other teams can identify, draft, sign and develop these Jason Heywards, Dustin Pedoria’s and Matt Cains while we bring up the more complimentary types at best.

    Face it, Wright and Reyes were the exception and the only All Stars we have developed since Frank Cashen was the GM.
  • Metsie January 6, 2011 at 11:49 am

    LOL Dave, It must be an upstate thing (Im in Sullivan) but every time I hear Martinez’ name I think of Milledge!
• Carl January 4, 2011 at 3:28 pm

  Whay are we still even talking about this guy? He sucks and even when he was with the Mets he didnt run hard to first base which tells you all you need to know about him.
• Lifelongmetsfan January 4, 2011 at 3:37 pm

  We’re still talking about him because he is a 21 yr. old left handed hitter who could easily become the next consistent 25-30 home run 100 rbi 40 doubles guy in the major leagues.
  • Met Maniac January 4, 2011 at 3:46 pm

    You’re not serious are you? So you’re saying he’s Darryl Strawberry? Wow, that’s quite an endorsement.
    • Des January 4, 2011 at 3:54 pm

      No, he’s not a Darryl Strawberry. He’s not a thug like Darryl. lol
      • Met Maniac January 4, 2011 at 4:21 pm

        Okay maybe I should have said pre-Citi Field Jason Bay instead. Bay is a fine law abiding and upstanding Canadian.
  • russell Zanca January 4, 2011 at 4:54 pm

    Dream on Ll, sorry.

    I think his ship sailed. Last seen falling on his face in Miller Park…

    Really, the guy will never materialize to be a memorable Met…flop.

    Ready to eat these words, but I also think I know a bum when I see one.
    • Lifelongmetsfan January 4, 2011 at 5:08 pm

      A bum? Why do you say that? A bum? DO you realise that Martinez was signed at 16 yrs old age? Left home at 17 to play professional baseball. Earned his G.E.D. while playing professional baseball, learned to speak English, has been taking college level courses in the off season for the past 2 years.
      I don’t think Martinez is a “bum” Far from it! Martinez strikes me as a bright, articulate, engaging young man who would have been successful in any profession he entered.
      Why disparage Martinez? Regardless of wheater or not Martinez “makes it” as a major league baseball player his ability to overcome the poverty that he came from is worthy of respect. Don’t you think?
      • Russell Zanca January 5, 2011 at 11:49 am

        Oh, LL, what’s with the “drama queen” stance here?

        “Bum” is a long-used term among baseball fans to describe a PLAYER’s MLB value; it’s not a judgment of the person.

        I wish the kid all good things in this life. IMHO, he will never bring anything to the Mets as a player. Would love to be proven wrong
        • Mr North Jersey January 5, 2011 at 11:53 am

          LL can’t help it.
• Lifelongmetsfan January 4, 2011 at 5:01 pm

  I don’t think I’m dreaming. But, its all mute unless Martinez can play a full year injury free. That’s the question. I don’t think the question is weather or not Martinez will develop into a power hitting major league hitter, the real question is his ability to stay on the field.
  • Des January 5, 2011 at 8:12 am

    I think that the same holds true for Reese Havens. If he can play an entire year, look out!! If he can’t, he’ll be remembered as a guy who couldn’t put it all together.
• mike January 4, 2011 at 5:13 pm

  Love the Mets.