"A few hours before yesterday's Yankees-Red Sox game, Curtis Granderson asked Russell Martin, "You catching today?"

Silly question.

Martin has caught every game the Yankees have played this season, and has made general manager Brian Cashman's decision to sign him in December look brilliant. Martin hit two home runs yesterday and drove in four runs to tie his career high in the Yankees' 9-4 victory.

The 28-year-old, cast aside by the Dodgers, is hitting .321 with three homers and eight RBIs. He has embraced his second act as a Yankee.

"That's my goal is to play as well as I possibly can," Martin said. "I'm not old by any means. I feel good. I finally feel healthy, strong and ready to compete."

Martin is hitting ninth in the Yankees lineup, something Mark Teixeira described as "almost not fair." Yesterday was a prime example.

Martin's rebirth comes after two frustrating years. An All-Star in 2007 and 2008, Martin's production dropped dramatically in the last two seasons. After a hip injury ended his 2010 season in August, Martin found himself questioning his future.

"I think I was just frustrated with the game," Martin said. "I wasn't having fun playing the game as much. When I got hurt last year and had the game taken away from me it made me realize that it's not going to last forever and you might as well have fun doing it. I think it really hit home and got me back on the right path."

Martin committed himself to improving his training regimen in the offseason, and it is showing results."