Agent: Russell Martin interested in re-signing with the Dodgers

Russell Martin is open to General Manager Ned Colletti’s idea of returning to the Dodgers as a utility player, according to Martin’s agent.

“He’s interested in the opportunity the Dodgers have described,” Matt Colleran said.

Martin, a former All-Star catcher, wasn’t tendered a contract by the Dodgers on Thursday night and became a free agent. Colleran said Colletti told him he wanted to re-sign Martin to play second base, third base and the outfield, in addition to catching. In that role, Martin would likely split time behind the plate with Rod Barajas, who is close to signing a one-year deal.

Colleran said he was contacted by six teams soon after the Dodgers announced they weren’t offering him a contract for next season. One of those teams was the New York Yankees, who, according to the New York Times, attempted to trade for Martin on Thursday night.

The teams Colleran has called back are interested in Martin as a catcher.

Colleran said Martin views the upcoming season as an opportunity to reestablish his value and is in the process of determining whether he would prefer to do so as a full-time catcher or utility player.

Colleran said Martin was disappointed that a deal couldn’t be worked out with the Dodgers. Because Martin made $5.05 million last season and was in line to receive a significant raise in the arbitration process, the Dodgers would only have offered him a contract had the terms been agreed upon by the 9 p.m. Thursday tender deadline.

Colleran proposed a deal that included a base salary of $5 million and $1 million in incentives.

The Dodgers’ offer called for a base salary of $4.2 million and $1.1 million in incentives. The incentive package proposed by the Dodgers was based on games started. To receive all $1.1 million in bonus pay, Martin would have had to start 140 games. By starting anywhere from 120 to 129 games, Martin would have received $600,000 in incentives.

In Martin’s last full season, in 2009, he started 136 games.

“He’s been with the Dodgers the whole time,” Colleran said. “He was hoping it would work out.”

Colleran said Martin is recovering as expected from the fractured hip that cut his 2010 season short by two months.

Martin was cleared to run last week and is planning to head from his home in Montreal to Arizona to resume his off-season workouts.

Colleran said he doesn’t anticipate other teams having serious concerns about Martin’s health.

“Clearly, the Dodgers have a comfort level with what those medical records said,” Colleran said.

-- Dylan Hernandez

Comments

[DG]

I hope this works out. Win-Win for both if Russell is healthy AND proves his worth at other positions. Sets himself up for a big payday, and no Dodger money spent in 2012 if this fails.

[DG]

"Martin was cleared to run last week and is planning to head from his home in Montreal to Arizona to resume his off-season workouts."

If he runs that entire trip, I'd say he's medically cleared. ;)

[darrelld]

This Dodger fan hopes he comes back. Everything about Russell J.Martin says Dodgers!!

[whitney]

This is so sad; he was my favorite player in a cast of no names. he's fast , and can throw, but he must be very suspect for the Dodgers to dump him.

[kjp]

If Martin is smart, he'll accept the offer from the Dodgers.

My understanding is that no catcher has ever come back, as a catcher, from the sort of injury he sustained. As the other teams considering him are considering him to serve as a catcher, both they and he are looking at accomplishing something unprecedented.

On a one-year utility contract with the Dodgers, on the other hand, he can, as his agent states, "re-establish his value" at one or more positions other than catcher.

The upside for the Dodgers is that, as part of this "re-establishing his value," Martin will presumably be motivated to actually listen to the coaches, and then comport himself as a serious major-league baseball player. All that needs to be known about the "old" Martin is something that appeared on this site last season, when he was urged to work with the coaches to establish a plan for hitting against Lincecum. Martin brushed them off: "I'm going to kick his a*s," he said. That was his "plan." And, of course, his "plan" failed. He kicked nothing.

The Dodgers are taken care of behind the plate, with Ellis and Barajas. They could use somebody to plug in every now and again in left and at third and second. Maybe Martin can be that person. Maybe.

[KoufaxFan]

Martin would be nutz to return to the Disgraced Dodgers, a team that clearly doesn't want him and are working on the cheap for McCrap's attorneys & mansions. He should go to the Yankees, a team that wants him, get paid, catch, get paid, dh, get paid, and be appreciated, and get paid.

[KoufaxFan]

Disgraced Dodgers dumped Martin even though they were about a measley $800,000 apart on a contract, that's a cup of coffee at Yankee Stadium. Go to the Yanks, Russell, get paid, you will have a good year with a real team around you and you will get paid. Pinstripes for Martin!

[Steve Wimer]

The Dodgers already offered Martin more money than he's worth. His offensive numbers went from good, to offensive, for two years, and his defense, like his hip, is slipping. His arm was average, his glove was good, and he used to hit lefties well, but he was never the complete package. He should have taken the Dodger's first offer; it was more than generous in my opinion.

[Labeldude]

I'm somewhat surprised that Ned didn't work out something with Martin. Afterall, he worked out something for a pitcher with a suspect shoulder, why not a catcher with a suspect hip? Next I supposed we'll see that LFer again with the bum foot.

[steve yeager]

The Dodgers got better by not signing Martin. Addition through subtraction...

[Craig Biggio]

Don't blame me!

[realistic_dodger_fan]

Oh god this is probably the worst idea out there. Ok his numbers at the dish fit for a utility. But for him to take away a bench spot is a bad idea. He can fill in every now and then at third and might be able to transition to the outfield but if somebody gets injured there is no way I want this guy playing extended time at third. When he played there were little things defensively that just made me cringe. They were small but when playing extended times he will get exposed. Unless he is starting behind the dish or platooning and only once a week at third or OF this would be a bad idea. He has so much milage already. If you sign him for a one year contract though and he explodes offensively, which I highly doubt because he has gotten away from what made him successful, the dodgers would still have one more year of control over him. The decision to non tender him was probably the best idea . If he is signed though by another team I am curious to see if the Dodgers will go forward with the tampering case. And by the way the dodgers may have only been 800,00 away but he was guaranteed at least a minimum 6 with a chance for 7.5 through arb.