Russell Martin is one of those guys that does very well at the plate, as well as behind the plate, for every team he plays for EXCEPT the Yankees.
I was convinced he was done being productive, and just wasn't the same as he was in LA after his two seasons in the Bronx. He goes to Pittsburgh, has two PHENOMENAL seasons, and then goes to Toronto and has another awesome season. I use the term 'allergic to pinstripes' here, because it fits.
I'm not angry. Sad to say, but Martin wasn't a good fit for the Yankees. He goes to Pittsburgh, or Toronto, or whatever, and he can fit right in. But there's a lot of pressure that comes with playing for the Yankees. You get up there, and the eyes of the world are watching. You screw up, and those eyes come down on you. You screw up in Pittsburgh, nobody wants to rip out your throat, nobody talks about how you're a poison on the team's success. You hit 20 home runs in New York, it's disappointing. You hit 20 in Toronto, it's a blessing.
I'm happy he's playing well again, and he's on a team that's successful enough to be relevant. Said success may have reached its peak, but I'm still happy for him. I'll bet he makes an All Star team, too.
Coming Tonight: The Diamondbacks are pretty irrelevant right now, but at least they've got a couple of young guys playing well enough.
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