‘A human Red Bull’: Martinez brings energy to TB
PORT CHARLOTTE — Here are a few things you should know over your morning coffee about new Rays designated hitter and occasional first baseman Jose Martinez.
He has: Perseverance, battling through 10 years in the minors before getting to the big leagues in 2016.
A baseball pedigree from his father Carlos, who played seven seasons in the majors, most famously hitting the ball that bounced off Jose Canseco’s head for a home run.
A great reputation, known for his tremendous clubhouse and dugout leadership, providing so much positivity and energy that his former manager in St. Louis, Mike Shildt, says, “He’s like a human Red Bull.’’
A knack for hitting, racking up some of the best numbers of active players against lefties, a career .331 average and a whopping .976 OPS.
And a cool nickname, Cafecito, essentially the younger version of his dad, who was known as Café.
But what may eventually distinguish Martinez the most is his love of java and determination to help people who need financial assistance, especially in his native Venezuela.
More specifically, he combined the two, partnering with the Primos Coffee company to sell his own Cafecito brand and donating his half of the profits to charitable causes.
“If you go out there and do something for the people that are in need,’’ he said, “that for sure is going to make you a better person.’’
Martinez, 31, talks a lot about giving, whether it’s time with fans in person or on social media, advice and information to his teammates, or money to the less fortunate.
He learned from his dad, from his struggles working his way to the majors, from Cardinals teammates Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright, from life.
“There’s a lot of people who helped me through the process,’’ Martinez said, “who took their time to help me in telling me what to do and what not to do, what’s good for me and what wasn’t.
“I realized when you appreciate those moments, [then] when you see an opportunity to share something that maybe helps somebody else, you feel good.’’
The relationship with Primos, a small family-run company with a farm in Nicaragua and a roasting/ storage facility at its headquarters in Texas, started via a mutual connection.
Than Graffam had been a fan of Martinez as a player with an inspiring story and a social media presence. He met the Primos people in Nicaragua while on a trip helping kids through his
Hope Project International and started brokering deals.
He had a friend contact Martinez in early 2019, and the Cafecito line was quickly brewing.
“I thought it was such an easy fit,’’ Graffam said, “of having a quality product with a rich family history and story of hard work in partnership with such a great guy with an inspiring story of baseball family history and that same work ethic.’’
Co-owner Betty Ann Blandon said Primos wasn’t looking to link up with a celebrity. But, she wrote via email, “after witnessing [Martinez’s] positive attitude, zest for life, commitment to succeed and willingness to help others, how could we not partner with him? And his nickname doesn’t hurt either.’’
Primos, which started retail sales five years ago, already had a sister company, Café las Misiones Partners, that gives money from sales to mission groups, so the charitable component was similar.
Martinez’s coffee debuted last spring, with a drawing of him hitting, his Cardinals No. 38 and signature on the bag label. It has now been updated with his new No. 40 in Rays blue, and there’s a matching mug.
Bags are available only online for now, $12.99 for 12 ounces via primoscoffeeco.com. But Primos officials say they have talked to Publix about getting it stocked in Tampa Bay area stores and would like to have it available at the Trop.
“It seemed like a great idea and gave me a platform to help people,’’ Martinez said. “You do stuff to get stuff to give to people, and you give love for the people.’’
As for the coffee itself? “It’s got a little kick to it,’’ Martinez said. “It’s nice and smooth, but actually at the end it kind of feels a little bit sweet.’’
Martinez, making $2 million in the second of a twoyear deal, with another $1 million available in incentives, doesn’t have a system in place yet to share proceeds. Instead, he helps who he can around his La
Guaira hometown.
“I live in a small town, so everyone knows my family,’’ he said. “Everywhere I go, if I have something in my pocket, or if I go to the store I get something for the people that are right there on the corner — ‘Here you go.’ … Sometimes we make a big pot of soup and try to share it. Or we sit with a group of kids and we give them [something]. Every day you can actually find someone.’’
Martinez is hoping the coffee project keeps growing to facilitate his benevolence. If things go well he will look to establish a foundation.
“That’s going to give me more chances,’’ he said. “If I help people in my hometown, I can expand to the capital, Caracas. And we can go to other areas where people are really poor. So this is going to have more impact for people with what I’m trying to do when I’m playing and when I’m retired.’’
Cardinals baseball operations president John Mozeliak said the coffee program fits with Martinez’s grind to make himself and all around him better every day.
“It’s a great thing,’’ Mozeliak said. “He’s a special guy. It wasn’t easy to trade him away from the person side of things, but from the baseball side it made a lot of sense.”
Without much playing time for Martinez, St. Louis traded him and outfielder Randy Arozarena for promising pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore and a minor-leaguer, plus an exchange of competitive balance draft picks.
“He’s a high energy player that will be clubhouse favorite,” Mozeliak said. “He always finds the positive in everything, I think they’ll really enjoying him around.’’
Especially when brings the coffee. he