MARTIN SIZES UP JAYS’ STARTERS
VETERAN CATCHER SAYS DIFFERENCES AMONG STAFF CAN KEEP OPPOSITION GUESSING
Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker does a fine job of managing the various personalities and arms at his disposal.
But next to him, there’s no one around the team who is a greater authority on the Toronto staff than veteran catcher Russell Martin. The Canadian is renowned as a master for working with hurlers young and old, framing pitches and calling a savvy game.
And so far this spring, Martin likes what he sees in a five-man rotation that is rounding into shape for the March 29 season opener. With five distinctive arms — from veterans J. A. Happ and Marco Estrada to young guns Aaron Sanchez and Marcus Stroman and newcomer Jamie Garcia — Martin thinks the variety will keep opponents guessing.
“Nobody’s similar,” Martin said. “Everybody’s got their own style. Everybody’s different. Is that necessary, I don’t know. But it can’t hurt.”
Postmedia asked Martin on Sunday to walk through the state of each of the starting five. Here’s his early take:
AARON SANCHEZ RHP, 1-3, 4.25 ERA, 36 innings pitched in 2017
“Looks really good this spring,” Martin said of the 25- year- old who missed most of the previous campaign with blister issues on his finger. “Even early on I could tell that the arm strength was there, the movement on the fastball was there. The change- up is nice. He has the same arm speed on that pitch and he looks like he’s starting to trust it a lot more. He’s got a great curveball to go with that.”
Martin says that Sanchez (who will get his fourth start of the spring on Monday in Orlando) is setting up for another breakthrough season.
“Sanchy looks really, really good. Looks strong, healthy and hopefully the blister doesn’t become an issue this year (like it was through all of 2017).
“The goal is to keep progressing. He definitely looks just as good as he did in 2016.”
J. A. HAPP LHP, 10-11, 3.53 ERA, 145.1 innings pitched in 2017
“Happer I feel like he’s having a good spring,” Martin said of the lanky lefty who won 20 games in 2016. “The fastball is good on both sides of the plate, he’s been working on a couple variations of the fastball and how to use it. He still has that knack for throwing that four- seamer top of the zone and getting a swing through. That’s a good punchout pitch for him still.
“I feel like his slider has gotten a little sharper, which is going to help him a little bit. He’s a four- pitch guy for the most part, but does most of his damage with his fastball and he seems like he’s pretty much the same guy as last year.”
The soft-spoken veteran is also one of the most meticulous pitchers on the staff, a fact not lost on Martin. “He’s a pro,” the catcher said. “You know what you are going to get with him, just the way he works and the way he goes about his business.”
MARCO ESTRADA RHP, 10-9, 4.98 ERA, 186 innings pitched in 2017
“Marco’s just Marco, he’s like an artist out there. He just paints,” Martin said of the crafty veteran, who struggled with personal issues early last season but picked his game up in the fall.
“When he’s on, he’s very stingy with the middle of the plate. He’ll just pick corners. And the changeup is in my opinion probably the best change-up in the game.”
Martin says Estrada, who signed a one-year deal with the Jays at the conclusion of the 2017 season, is one of the best tacticians.
“He’s a command guy. His fastball plays up a lot because of the deception on his change-up. He gets a lot of guys sitting on that change-up and then his fastball, the way hitters are reacting to it — it’s like it was 95 to 100 miles an hour.”
MARCUS STROMAN RHP, 13-9, 3.09 ERA, 201 innings pitched in 2017
“Just caught him (on Saturday.) A lot of movement on his sinker. He should get a ton of ground balls. He’s just got that natural competitive spirit that allows him to play well. He just loves to compete, loves to prove people wrong. He likes to be challenged and often rises to the occasion.
“Stro looks good. He’s a little bit behind schedule but the fastball was good. Small sample size and playing 16 and 17 year olds, but it doesn’t matter, the action on the fastball was good.
“He threw some really good change- ups as well which was good because I feel it used to be his fourth pitch and now it’s moving up the ladder a little bit.”
Martin says Stroman still has upside, particularly as his breaking balls continue to evolve.
“The key for him sometimes both breaking balls look like the same pitch and you have to let him know. You do want the difference between the two — the shortness of the slider and you want the curveball to be more of a 12 to 6 action.”
JAIME GARCIA LHP, 5-10, 4.41 ERA, 157 innings pitched in 2017
“Nothing Jaime throws is straight. The four-seamer has cut to it,” said Martin about Garcia, who the Jays signed to a one-year deal just prior to training camp. “The two-seamer the sink, it moves, there’s good action on the slider, good curveball. He’s a four- pitch mix guy but I really like the action he gets on his pitches, especially the fastball.
“He can cut it and sink it on both sides of the plate so the hitter never really gets a free pitch. Nothing’s straight. He’s going to be a tough at-bat.”
Martin says the speed that Garcia delivers is a plus.
“He just has that good pace to him,” Martin said. “He wants to get the ball and get going. When you have that, guys on defence play better and it gives you a good rhythm. Good things happen.”
EVERYBODY’S GOT THEIR OWN STYLE. EVERYBODY’S DIFFERENT.