Russell Martin News: Pro Sports Daily

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August 22

L.A. Daily News

"The stage is set for Russell Martin to start making a difference. What he does with the opportunity remains to be seen. Martin was having better at-bats and was feeling good at the plate for more than a week, but he didn't have much to show for it until hitting a grand slam Thursday. "Hopefully he can build on it," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "You always have to think that way. You know his ability to put the ball in play. He has that physical ability to do that, as long as his approach stays right-center (to) left-center." In other words, Torre wants Martin to be hitting the ball up the middle. His grand slam went to left-center. Martin is known for his ability to keep his emotions in ..."

Dodgers' Russell Martin gets his home run groove back

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June 21

Los Angeles Times

"Russell Martin figured his first home run of the season might prompt this kind of reaction. Not that it made it any less enjoyable. The Dodgers catcher briefly received the silent treatment from his teammates in the dugout Saturday night at Angel Stadium after hitting a solo homer in the third inning of the Dodgers' 6-4 victory over the Angels. A little humor," said Martin, who had not homered since Sept. 26 against San Francisco. "It's all fun when you're winning." Martin, who averaged 16 homers in his first two full major league seasons, had not homered in 217 at-bats this season before Saturday. "It definitely feels good to get that first one out of the way," said Martin, who also ..."

Dodgers' Martin in search of offense

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June 19

L.A. Daily News

"The most invisible man in a Dodgers uniform doesn't wait his turn on the bench or camp out in the bullpen until the call comes. No, Russell Martin is out there on the field every day and night doing what he can, and it seems that lately it hasn't been much. Relegated recently to the No.8 spot in the batting order, Martin has been unable to find his way offensively. He hit 19 home runs in 2007, 13 more in 2008, but as of Thursday's game, 2 1/2 months into the season, he hasn't gone deep once. The career .285 hitter is batting just .236 this season and entered Thursday's game 1-for-22 in his past six games, 3-for-36 in his last 10 and 4-for-43 in his last 11. "This is, by far, the most I ..."

Joe Torre likes Russell Martin's take-charge approach

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April 8

Los Angeles Times

"When visiting the mound on opening day to remove Hiroki Kuroda, Manager Joe Torre made it a point to say something to his catcher. "Nice going," he said. Torre said he liked how Russell Martin instructed Kuroda to walk Adrian Gonzalez to load the bases in the sixth inning rather than give Gonzalez a chance to win the game. The call turned out to be the right one, as reliever Cory Wade induced an inning-ending groundout. "I think he did a nice job of not giving into the hitter," Torre said. "Russell never had any deficiencies defensively. The difference with Russell is the mental side, I think." That was a point of emphasis over the winter and spring as Martin prepared for his fourth season ..."

More trouble for Canada

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March 4

Toronto Star

"Before yesterday's 6-4 win over the Blue Jays, Team Canada manager Ernie Whitt wondered out loud how he would distribute three exhibition games among just 13 pitchers. He might have to manage playing time behind the plate just as carefully. After yesterday's game, Russell Martin, the L.A. Dodgers star and Canada's starting catcher, mentioned he's still recovering from a mid-foot sprain suffered before Dodgers camp opened. Martin said the foot is almost back to normal after nearly three weeks of rehab, but said the lingering injury still limits his defensive mobility."

Dodgers fans will see a new Russell Martin

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March 1

Los Angeles Times

"Reporting from Phoenix -- Looking down at the clubhouse carpet, Russell Martin repeatedly nodded his head. "At this point," Martin said, "I'm going to let him work his magic." Umm . . . Who are you? And what did you do with Russell Martin? This couldn't be the same restless kid who did whatever he could to talk his way out of days off last season and played 155 games, could it? But there was Martin, seated in front of his locker, nodding in agreement when told of Manager Joe Torre's desire to limit him to 140 games behind the plate this season. A similar conversation last spring led to some interesting dialogue between catcher and manager for newspapers to play out on their pages for a ..."

Dodgers fans will see a new Russell Martin

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March 1

Los Angeles Times

"Looking down at the clubhouse carpet, Russell Martin repeatedly nodded his head. "At this point," Martin said, "I'm going to let him work his magic." Umm . . . Who are you? And what did you do with Russell Martin? This couldn't be the same restless kid who did whatever he could to talk his way out of days off last season and played 155 games, could it? But there was Martin, seated in front of his locker, nodding in agreement when told of Manager Joe Torre's desire to limit him to 140 games behind the plate this season. A similar conversation last spring led to some interesting dialogue between catcher and manager for newspapers to play out on their pages for a couple of days. Based on what ..."

Martin's learning curve

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February 23

Globe and Mail

"The old catcher summoned the young one into the tunnel to deliver a stern reminder. Run it out. Lead by example. Play the right way. The young catcher listened and then he blew up. Out came the frustration. The sore knee. The cumulative aches from hundreds of innings squatting in the heat. The pressure of guiding a young pitching staff in a pennant race in just his third season in the majors. And now you're busting on me for not running out a fly ball? Everyone in the park knows I should have been on second base after the guy dropped it. I don't need you telling me that. It came in a torrent. The old catcher just said, whoa, whoa, whoa. Where's all this coming from? And Russell Martin ..."

Dodgers sign Broxton, Martin for 2009

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January 20

MLB.com

"The Dodgers avoided arbitration with catcher Russell Martin and reliever Jonathan Broxton by signing both of them to one-year contracts on Tuesday. "It was good to get that out of the way," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. "They can concentrate on the season without the distraction, which is a plus." Martin, 25, batted .280 with 13 home runs and 69 RBIs last year while being named an All-Star for the second straight year. He will earn $3.9 million in 2009 after making $500,000 last season. Broxton, 24, struck out 88 batters in 69 innings while posting a 3.13 ERA as the team's primary setup man and, later, the team's closer, saving 14 games. He will make $1.825 million plus ..."

Source: Dodgers give Martin 1-year, $3.9M deal

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January 20

Foxsports.com

"The Dodgers have avoided salary arbitration with catcher Russell Martin, signing him to a one-year, $3.9 million contract, according to a major-league source. The deal is the largest ever awarded to a catcher in his first year of arbitration. Martin, who turns 26 on Feb. 15, batted .280 with 13 homers and 69 RBIs last season, appearing in 155 games."

Russell Martin dropped to sixth in batting order

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August 10

Los Angeles Times

"Russell Martin wasn't hitting when he batted in front of Manny Ramirez, and moving up a spot into the No. 2-hole didn't change anything, so Dodgers Manager Joe Torre moved his All-Star catcher into the sixth spot in the lineup Saturday. But that didn't help him either. Martin was five for 22 (.227) with five strikeouts over five games with Ramirez hitting behind him. Friday, he was moved to the second spot in the order and was 0 for 4. Saturday, batting in front of Casey Blake, he went 0 for 4 again, with three strikeouts. Torre said he noticed that Martin's swing has looked long. The manager also said the catcher appeared "too ambitious." Asked if that could be the result of anticipating ..."

Dodgers' Martin not ready for deal

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July 16

L.A. Daily News

"Dodgers catcher Russell Martin said before Tuesday night's All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium that his stance hasn't changed on signing a long-term contract that essentially would allow the club to buy him out of arbitration. The Dodgers have made overtures to Martin in the past about locking him up for several years, but he has thus far rejected them on the advice of Bob Garber, his Chicago-based agent. "I don't really even worry about stuff like that," Martin said. "It's not my concern. That's (the agent's) job." Martin is making $500,000 this season, but his salary figures to jump considerably next year if he qualifies for first-year arbitration eligibility after this season"

Beaming with Canadian pride

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July 15

Toronto Sun

"If Ryan Dempster ever injures his arm, he could work at Second City. Dempster was asked at a midtown Manhattan hotel about the fact that in this, the final year of Yankee Stadium, there are three Canadians in the all-star game for the first time. "Well," said Dempster, the Chicago Cubs right-hander from Gibsons, B.C., "we got together in spring training and had a talk. "We decided to try hard this year ... for a change. You know, go out and give 100%. We're all looking forward to getting to the stadium and being able to speak Canadian to one another." Joining Dempster, 10-4, with a 3.25 earned run average, is possible battery mate Russell Martin, a Montrealer catching for the Los ..."

Martin is Dodgers' lone All-Star

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July 7

L.A. Daily News

"Russell Martin won't be a wide-eyed first-timer. He won't be a starter. He won't be among teammates. Despite all that, though, the Dodgers' catcher was just as excited to make his second consecutive National League All-Star team as he had been to make his first. "He was very proud," said Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who delivered the news. "His eyes lit up. Every club has to be represented, and I thought just from the looks of what we have had going on the first half, with (shortstop Rafael) Furcal getting hurt and staying hurt, that (Martin) would be the (logical candidate).""

A starring role for Russell Martin

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July 7

Los Angeles Times

"Russell Martin has never played in Yankee Stadium. He has never visited the ballpark as a spectator or even seen it from the outside. Sunday morning, he learned that he'll be there on July 15 playing in his second All-Star game as the event's only Dodgers representative. "This is my last opportunity," Martin said of Yankee Stadium, which will close at season's end. "There are a lot of people in this game that are never going to have the opportunity to play there. I feel like I'm fortunate." Martin, who was the National League's starting catcher last year, made the team as a reserve. He finished sixth in fan balloting among NL catchers, receiving 1,011,539 votes. ..."

Martin, sporting a new mustache, powers the Dodgers past the Cubs, 7-3

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June 8

Riverside Press Enterprise

"Sporting a new mustache that makes him look nearly as ridiculous as the Dodgers hitters had during the previous two weeks, Russell Martin knew it was going to be a good day when he didn't hit a red light on the way to Dodger Stadium on Saturday. Once he got here, there was no stopping Martin and the offense. Powered by Martin's two-run homer and tie-breaking single, the Dodgers earned a much-needed 7-3 victory over the Cubs."

Russell Martin to be awarded Tip O'Neill Award

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June 3

Globe and Mail

"Russell Martin has been named the 2007 recipient of the Tip O'Neill Award. The Chelsea, Que., native and catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers will be presented the award in a brief pre-game ceremony on ?Canada Night? at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday prior to the Colorado Rockies-Dodgers game. The honour is given annual by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame to the player judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to baseball's highest ideals. Justin Morneau of New Westminster, B.C., won the distinction in 2006, while Jason Bay of Trail, B.C., was honoured the two previous years."