These players made it longer than one full season, but less than two seasons. They do not qualify as one-year wonders. They lasted slightly too long. But they still spent a brief part of their careers with the Red Sox.
I felt like talking about Victor Martinez today. He was on the 2024 Hall of Fame ballot. He did not do well, receiving just six votes and dropping off the ballot going forward. I knew this would be the case, but he still had a terrific career and deserves to be remembered.
It actually took me awhile to really appreciate Martinez's stint with Boston. As everyone who reads this blog knows, I am a huge Jason Varitek fan. Martinez was acquired because Varitek was slipping at the plate. Martinez pushed Varitek into a backup catcher role eventually. When Martinez was first acquired, the Red Sox actually split his time between first base and catcher. But in 2010, his only full season with the Red Sox, Martinez was the primary catcher. So, it took awhile, but now I do fully appreciate what they had.
Martinez started his career in Cleveland, taking over the starting job in 2004. He hit more than 20 home runs three times and drove in 100 runs twice going into the 2009 season. He was an All Star in 2004 and 2007. The Indians in 2009 were headed for a 97 loss season and were shedding salary as of the trading deadline. Martinez had already made his third All Star team. The Red Sox were on their way to another Wild Card berth, but needed an offensive jolt. The two teams came together. The Red Sox sent pitchers Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone and Bryan Shaw to bring Martinez over.
Martinez played in 56 games down the stretch and definitely provided that offensive spark Boston so needed. He hit .336/.405/.507 with eight home runs and 41 RBIs, pushing his final numbers on the season above 20 home runs and 100 RBIs. He ended up receiving some down-ballot MVP votes as a result of this. Martinez appeared in the postseason for the second time in his career that year, but struggled to a .182/.250/.182 line with just two RBIs in the team's ALDS loss to the Angels.
2010 saw Martinez hit 20 home runs and make the All Star team once more. As mentioned, Martinez spent the entire season at catcher, playing only a handful of games at first base and designated hitter. He hit .302/.351/.493 with 20 home runs, 32 doubles and 79 RBIs. He also struck out just 52 times on the season compared to 40 walks. It was one of the better offensive seasons by a Red Sox catcher in quite awhile. Not since Carlton Fisk in 1977 did a Red Sox catcher hit more than .300 with 20 or more home runs.
The issue about whether to bring Martinez back had to do with his deteriorating defense. He was not historically a strong defensive catcher, but he really took a step backwards in 2010. He allowed 99 stolen bases (second most in the league), catching just 21% of attempted thefts. The league average was 26%. He appeared destined to be a designated hitter and the Red Sox already had David Ortiz for that position.
Martinez signed a free agent contract with the Tigers after the season and did indeed become a designated hitter, never playing catcher regularly again. The Red Sox acquired Jarrod Saltalamacchia in a trade with the Rangers at the deadline and he became the team's regular catcher. Martinez's final slash line in Boston was .313/.368/.497 with 28 home runs and 120 RBIs.
Cleveland really looked like they got the better of that trade for a second there.
ReplyDeleteAlso my favorite part is that the Red Sox had both V-Mart and Adrian Beltre in 2010 and they were basically replaced with Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford.
That was a nice little run V-Mart had with Boston. Considering the nice career he had and the mediocre careers of the three pitchers, the trade looks really good for Boston at this current time. Of course, trading prospects for a player you're not going to have for long is risky.
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