As the Los Angeles Dodgers head towards their final month of the 2019 regular season, a looming question hangs in the balance. Indeed, catcher Russell Martin is in his age-36 season. Typically, this is an age at which catchers begin to think about the next phase of their lives.
Now – Martin is talking about that next phase. Moreover, it’s a new source for our news items. While the Toronto Blue Jays are in town for a three-game set, Martin caught up with Shi Davidi who covers the Blue Jays for SportsNet Canada. Obviously, the two are friendly from Martin’s four prior seasons in Canada.
Candidly, Martin spoke about a future that remains murky.
Fun chat catching up with Russell Martin, who's enjoying his return with #Dodgers. His contract is up after this fall and his future is uncertain: "This could possibly be my last (year). I don’t know. It could be. We’ll see." #BlueJays
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) August 21, 2019
When asked about his contract being up after 2019, Martin had this to say.
“This could possibly be my last (year). I don’t know. It could be. We’ll see.”
Without question – reading between the lines – one figures that Martin is reaching his sunset as a player.
At the current time, Martin is hitting .213 with 4 home runs and 15 RBI. Furthermore, he’s achieved just a .643 OPS in 66 games played. Also, and not to be forgotten; he’s thrown three scoreless innings in relief off the pitching rubber. It goes without saying that Martin’s value really goes beyond the numbers for the 2019 Dodgers. And unless you were a dreamer like I am, you knew this would be the case.
Finally, Martin told Davidi that he was almost traded to the Philadelphia Phillies rather than the Dodgers over the winter.
An interesting tidbit. He said he was told his trade from #BlueJays came down to #Dodgers or #Phillies.
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) August 21, 2019
In closing, enjoy this last month and a half (plus postseason) of Russ Mart. Ironically he was hitting third the last time the Toronto Blue Jays visited Dodger Stadium all the way back in 2006. He’s exhibited immense professionalism as a Dodger and has hung on a lot longer than most backstops at the big league level.
All of this is a testament to the ballplayer he is.
The post Dodgers: Russell Martin Talks About Career Beyond 2019 appeared first on Dodgers Nation.
Comments
0 comments