Daily Dodger in review: Russell Martin's fractured season and uncertain future

RUSSELL MARTIN, 27, catcher

Final 2010 stats: .248 batting average, five home runs, 26 RBI, 45 runs, six stolen bases, .348 on-base percentage in 331 at-bats.

Contract status: Arbitration eligible.

The good: Had a team-high 15-game hitting streak (May 5-21). After appearing in only five spring training games before straining a groin, battled back to make opening-day starting lineup. A workhorse, he was third in the major leagues for games and innings for a catcher before suffering season-ending hip injury.

The bad: Was unable to bounce back from poor 2009. I’d say he continued to slide, but in reality most of his numbers were nearly identical to the previous season.

Struggled behind the plate. That power he hoped to rediscover by gaining weight in the offseason, never happened. Had one home run in his last 215 at-bats. Suffered a labral tear in his right hip that also fractured the hip socket.

What’s next: Martin will be the Dodgers’ most challenging offseason decision. He was already in decline both at the plate and behind it before he suffered his freak, season-ending injury.

He earned $5.05 million last season and would probably earn around $6 million in arbitration this time. That’s a decent amount of money for a now light-hitting catcher who no one is certain will be able to effectively get behind the plate again.

The Dodgers can offer him a contract, arbitration, or say thanks for the memories and wave goodbye. A gamble is involved no matter what they decide.

The take: With his hip injury, there is no way they can realistically count on him being their everyday catcher. And $6 million is a tad pricey for a part-time catcher. Still, somebody has to catch. And even if his numbers are significantly off the last two seasons, that still leaves him mediocre for a catcher. It’s a ridiculously weak-hitting position.

His agent told The Times’ Dylan Hernandez he’ll be ready for spring training and wants to remain with the Dodgers. The Dodgers should be sending out feelers for John Buck and even Miguel Olivo, but for now might offer Martin a contract at the maximum 20% cut (about $4 million).

They have to figure out where they want to draw the line. Arbitration may push them over the line. If they non-tender him and are unable to lure in a semi-attractive free agent, the fallback plan is presumably to bring back the Rod Barajas/A.J. Ellis tandem.

And the way the Dodgers -- and Martin -- have been going, if they don’t get it worked out by the deadline to offer him arbitration Dec. 2, expect everyone to move on.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Comments

[bob cuomo]

As you said, and as I've said on a couple of occasions, there's no guarantee he will be able to catch again after that injury. And yes, $6 million would be way too much. Therefore, I say let him go and use Barrajas and Ellis back there. However, it wouldn't hurt to try and acquire Buck...he's a pretty darn good catcher.

[Whamo]

Martin's too expensive and tenuous to gamble on at this juncture. Especially in light of his weak hitting. What happened to his stroke? I hope he comes back from his injury, but he's not a good gamble. The new guy has power, and the Dodgers need it.

[H.R. Department]

Bon Voyage!

[Stan]

Catching a lot of games doesn't mean squat, especially if the catcher's defense is not sound. Steve Yeager couldn't hit a lick but I liked him behind the plate. I can live with the up the middle starters if they hit .250 or more with decent OBP and play great defense but you will need the other starters to pick them up.

[Hollywood Dodger Mark]

He'll be the opening day catcher. dodgers will market it as comeback story of the year - how he overcame adversity to again hit .248. Fan favorite. End of story.

[OldBrooklynFan]

If the Dodgers offer Martin arbitration I think it should be for less than he made this past season because of his offensive drop at the plate over the last two years and his unfortunate hip injury near the end of the season. I'd rather see them hold on to Barajas, who has shown some pop at the plate after coming in from the Mets, rather than seeking another catcher from the outside. If Martin is unable to make it in '11, than look for another catcher at the non waiver trade deadline or thru free agency. If A.J. Ellis start showing some HR power, then it's another story.

[NoMoMartie]

let martin go......no big loss, & in fact, a classic case of addition-by-subtraction....good riddance!!!!

[Labeldude]

Martin's line ought to come with a barf bag. Could just be a coincidence, but I do have to wonder how much Torre messed up his head. He was doing fine until Joe came along. Of course, you could say that about much of the team.

[jason]

It would be nice to have Santana right about now.

[realestate]

Russell Martin for $6M? $4M? . . . or for $400K, there are 100 minor-league catchers they could trade for that could hit/field as well as RM . . . or for $1M/$2M a veteran major-league catcher that could hit/field way better than RM. Why does anyone think this guy can still play, he hasn't done a thing for 3 years and now he's hurt, meaning further downside. I'll give a player a down year (or maybe 2 if there's a nagging injury), but with this guy he's non-proven it for 3 years.

I'll never understand why RM was even on the roster last year, I'd wager if he's cut we'll never see him in the big leagues again. For whatever reason (guess) he was good for a while, but he's not even close to a major-leaguer at this point. I don't wish him ill-will, I hope he does succeed in baseball or whatever else, but I can't understand what the Dodgers and their fans were thinking about this guy the last 2 years.