We’ve reached the 10-year anniversary of a Cardinals move that has paid significant dividends for the franchise. It was on this date in 2010 that the Cardinals signed right-hander Carlos Martinez out of the Dominican Republic for a $1.5MM bonus. The deal came a year after a $150K agreement Martinez had with the Red Sox fell through because of questions over his name and birthday, as Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com detailed back in 2013.
Martinez’s issues were ultimately sorted out after the Boston deal collapsed, and St. Louis has been the beneficiary. After a torrid run through the minors, Martinez ended up debuting in the majors in 2013 as a hyped prospect, even making five appearances in relief against Boston in St. Louis’ World Series loss to the Red Sox. He has since established himself as a key part of the Cardinals’ pitching staff.
Martinez truly broke out as a starter in 2015, the first season of a three-year, 580-inning stretch in which he logged a 3.24 ERA/3.59 FIP with 8.92 K/9, 3.17 BB/9 and a 54 percent groundball rate. The Cardinals made a sizable commitment to Martinez after the second of those seasons, signing him to an extension worth a guaranteed $51MM over five years in February 2017. Martinez is down to his last two guaranteed seasons on that pact, though the Cardinals will be able to control him for 2022 and ’23 via club options; that is, if they’re willing to pay him $17MM in the first year and/or $18MM in the second (otherwise, they could buy him out in either season for $500K).
Martinez seemed to be on pace to have those options picked up just a couple years ago, but it’s less clear what his future holds at this point. Now 28 years old, Martinez spent the majority of the previous two seasons as a reliever – an effective one at that – owing in part to injuries. Dating back to 2018, he has tossed 167 innings of 3.13 ERA/3.34 FIP ball with 9.16 K/9, 4.2 BB/9 and a typically above-average grounder percentage of 51.1.
All 48 of the hard-throwing Martinez’s appearances last year came out of the Cardinals’ bullpen as he recovered from shoulder issues, and he even converted 24 of 27 save opportunities while filling in for the injured Jordan Hicks as their closer. However, before the coronavirus pandemic reared its ugly head and caused baseball to shut down, the 28-year-old looked as if he was on track to return to his prior role in the St. Louis rotation in 2020.
No matter which job Martinez takes on this season (if there is one), it’s fair to say his production as both a starter and a reliever has been a boon to the Cardinals. Ten years ago today, they landed a two-time All-Star for a relative pittance.
one wonders what might have happened if he renegotiated with Boston but went the Wang/Luciano route to the Majors. surely would have been a top Rule 5 option is left exposed perhaps as early as 2011.
Why would he have been available as a rule 5 in 2011? In that scenario he would have signed in 2009.
that’s my point. if he resigned with the same team within a year there is a loophole that makes the player immediately eligible for the draft. he did well enough at a high enough rung in 2011 to have put himself in a strong position to be drafted.
Seems he was a lot more effective before he had guaranteed money on that extension. After that, everything changed.
I agree with you -letsholdem— after Carlos Martinez got the multi year mid range bucks contract—-its been all down hill for him since!! After the contract—- is when he because crazy acting & had the goofy hair colors. He forgot how to let his good control pitching draw positive attention to himself. Plus— he could throw over 100 mph any time he wanted to do it. Now—-he’s a head case. Evidently——in St. Louis, it’s not how good you are, it’s how much money you are contracted to make is to how to be a starting pitcher or position player!! (Martinez, Carpenter, Fowler).
Get your facts right!
Martinez never threw 100 MPH, especially not as a starter, and he’s always performed well as both a starter and a reliever, so of course he deserves his role.
Carpenter did get mostly benched in favor of Edman after it was clear he wasn’t going to turn it around last season. He’ll have to earn his job back whenever play resumes.
As for Fowler, Matheny actually did bench after a while in 2018 until he was fired. Schildt strangely gave him his job back until he broke his foot to end that terrible season for him. However, Fowler earned his job back in 2019 by bouncing back to have a decent season. Heading into whatever 2020 season we might have, Fowler is actually the least questionable outfielder the Cardinals have, save for maybe Edman who may play a lot more often in the infield. He deserves to keep his outfield starting spot more than anyone else, even Bader, does at the moment. Until three other guys among the likes of Bader, O’Neill, Thomas, Carlson, Edman (if not needed as an infielder), etc. prove they can actually outplay him, then Fowler stays in the lineup.
He did throw 100mph.
Carlos Martinez has thrown over 100mph several times in his career
Fowler is a bench player now Bader is a better defender, Thomas and O’Neil has more pop and are even defenders and Thomas can play CF well. I won’t throw Carlson and Edmans in the mix because I haven’t seen enough of them. I am at the point you DFA him and just take the hit or you pay a majority of his salary and trade him to the Angels or KC.
Lol yes cuz the Royals desperately need Dexter Fowler.
Are you not gonna report on the Arod/Jlo/Mets stuff?
^
what a waste of talent so far, carlos “head and hair case” martinez
And you base this on absolutely nothing!