Martinez follows Gonzalez’s road to Arizona
Once upon a time, the Arizona Diamondbacks traded for an outfielder who had played for the Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers. The guy wore No. 28 and turned out to have a pretty nice career in Arizona.
J. D. Martinez will be thrilled if he’s as successful as Luis Gonzalez.
“I wouldn’t mind getting a game- winning hit in the World Series,” Martinez said Friday. “That’s not bad.”
First things first. Martinez has to get back into the Diamondbacks lineup after getting hit on the left hand by a pitch Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds. An MRI confirmed the initial diagnosis of a bone bruise, and manager Torey Lovullo hopes Martinez will return soon.
The diagnosis finally allowed Martinez to take a deep breath and relax. Think about it: He’s traded to the Diamondbacks, expected to be the big bat that pushes Arizona over the top in its quest for a playoff spot, and in his first game with his new team he’s drilled on the hand on a swing.
“I was just like, ‘ C’mon,’ ” Martinez said. “It was definitely a scary situation. I already was nervous as it was for the day. Anytime you come in and meet a bunch of new people, you’re overwhelmed with that. The game is already something to be nervous about as it is. To have that was just like, ‘ What just happened?’ It was a crazy 24 hours.”
So is this: Martinez might be one of the game’s top hitters today, but it was three years ago that his career had cratered. He was released by the Astros in March 2014 after a 2013 season in which he hit .250 with a .272 on- base percentage and showed little power, with seven home runs in 296 at- bats.
After that season, Martinez decided he had to start over with his swing. So, he thought, why not learn from the best? He watched video of Mike Trout, Miguel Cabrera, Ryan Braun and Albert Pujols, hitters who had “always been good.” He used side- by- side video to compare their swing path with his and, with the help of private instructor Craig Wallenbrock, came to a simple but career- changing conclusion: He was going to start trying to hit the ball in the air.
Armed with a new swing and philosophy, Martinez was a revelation for Detroit in 2014. In 441 at- bats, he hit 23 homers, one fewer than the previous three years combined. The next year, he hit 38 and, “Here I am,” he said Friday.
“I remember some epic home runs he was hitting, but he probably wasn’t as consistent with the swing and contact when he was in Houston,” Lovullo said. “I was a little surprised that they let him go. He obviously landed on his feet.”
Arizona is counting on Martinez to be more than a big bat in the middle of its lineup. At 29 and with postseason experience in 2014, he can be a road map for some younger players. Lovullo already has told him to speak up if he sees something that needs to be addressed.
“I think we’re all going to rely on some of that expertise,” Lovullo said. “He’s learned from some really good players in Detroit and some winning environments. I know that instinctually he knows right and wrong, so when he sees something that doesn’t add up and doesn’t make a lot of sense, I wanted him to feel the freedom to express himself the way he would in any other situation. It was just my way of saying, ‘ Get grounded, be comfortable and be yourself as quickly as possible.’ ”