Russell Martin - Fantasy News & Updates
Russell Martin - Fantasy News & Updates
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Among the top fantasy backstops heading into the year, Martin was one of the biggest disappointments of 2009. The loss in power is most concerning. That said, the fact that his plate discipline remained intact (69/80 BB/K ratio compared to 67/89 BB/K in '08) suggests he should bounce back in the average department. With his stock having plummeted, Martin makes for an intriguing bargain option for 2010.
Martin's 4-for-33 performance breaks down to a .121 average, if you were curious. Martin's incredibly disappointing season didn't change course in September, as he finished the month with a .207 average (17-for-82), albeit with a solid 14 RBIs. At this point, Martin needs to turn in a big postseason in order to get owners thinking positively about him again.
The long ball was Martin's fifth of the season and his first since Aug. 20. Given that his average has hovered in the high .250s in that span, he's offered little value outside of deeper NL-only leagues.
Martin is 5-for-17 (.294) with five RBIs over his last five games, but his season long ago became a lost cause for fantasy purposes. His .258 average and .322 slugging percentage remain eyesores to owners who expected premium production from the two-time All-Star.
He's not injured, which is good news considering he's starting to hit more consistently. Marin has hit safely in seven of eight games, and he continued to work on his mechanics before Friday's game with hitting coach Don Mattingly. The .256 hitter's problems all year, as Mattingly explains, stem from the catcher spinning out of his swing. "You need to keep the barrel toward the pitcher," Mattingly said. "Anybody who's hitting well is doing it right, and anybody who's struggling is spinning out." Martin is expected to return Saturday, so perhaps he'll show off the results of the extra batting work.
Martin has a six-game hitting streak on the books, although just one of those hits has gone for extra bases. It's been a theme of the season for the catcher, who has just four homers and 16 doubles. Considering his previous lows in each category are 10 and 25, respectively, he's in danger of producing less pop in the '09 season than at any time in his four-year career.
A rare bright spot in what has been a disappointing season for the 26-year-old backstop. Thursday's slam was Martin's first homer since July 26 and his four RBIs were more than his total for August entering the day. It's tempting to believe his latest performance will lead to a hot spell, but his career second-half numbers indicate that owners shouldn't hold their breath.
Martin's nightmare season just keeps on keeping on. His .318 slugging percentage is one of the great mysteries of this fantasy season, coming as it does on the heels of .469 and .396 marks in 2007 and '08. While it's conceivable that Martin could cede some time to backup Brad Ausmus, who drew the start on Monday, it's worth remembering that Ausmus is a 40-year-old defensive specialist currently hitting well over his head, with a .312 average in 77 at-bats. Still, something has to give here.
A perfect night for Martin, who’s put together multi-hit efforts in five of the last seven games he’s started. The fourth-year catcher may finally be getting it together at the plate after a terrible first half, as he’s batting .322 since the break.
Ausmus is 9-for-17 over his last five starts, and while he receives very little playing time serving as Russell Martin’s backup, a few additional at-bats could await the veteran backstop should the Dodgers increase their division lead and elect to rest Martin down the stretch.
Martin's been heating up the past six games, delivering eight hits in 25 at-bats (.320). The backstop hit .317 during July, so it appears he's past his struggles from June, when he hit just .190.
Fantasy owners have been waiting for Martin to truly turn it on all season, and while his power numbers continue to lag, he seems to be swinging the bat with more authority of late. Over his last 10 games, Martin has raised his average from .248 to .264 thanks to a 13-for-39 (.333) surge. That .319 slugging percentage is still a major eyesore, and Martin has just 12 extra-base hits in 295 at-bats, but he's hitting line drives at last and may be getting his stroke back.
The 40-year-old backstop continues to make the most of what little playing time is allotted to him playing behind Russell Martin. Ausmus is hitting .305 (18-for-59) on the year.
Martin is right up there with Jimmy Rollins as one of the biggest first-half busts, and a bounceback effort is far from guaranteed. Martin's strikeout rate has gone up noticeably this year, from 15 percent last season to 19 percent in '09. That explains why his average might not return to his career mark of .281.
It's hard to crack the lineup when playing behind notorious gamer, Russell Martin, but Ausmus has acquitted himself just fine in his limited role, hitting .286 on the year in severely limited time.
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