Martinez’s swing is must-see viewing
ATLANTA >> When J.D. Martinez takes batting practice, he brings the tools of his trade with him — a bat and a tablet on a tripod.
The Dodgers’ designated hitter records every swing he takes, reviewing and analyzing his mechanics constantly. It’s something he has been doing for years.
“Since 2016. I was scared to do it in Detroit my first two years because I was a young guy,” he said. “But it’s kind of what made me who I am. Being natural and being a feel hitter is what got me released (by the Houston Astros in spring 2014). Studying, staying on top of my stuff and always grinding is kind of what’s made me me.”
That’s also what created Martinez’s reputation as a “cage rat,” someone who is constantly in the cage taking swings.
“I don’t think I take that many swings,” he said with a laugh, well aware of his reputation. “I’m always in the cage, sitting around and watching my swings, watching videos and stuff like that.
“Everyone kind of puts this narrative — ‘J.D. swings so much. Oh my God, all he does is swing, swing, swing.’ I probably take the same number of swings as everyone else. I’ll probably take four, five swings then I’ll step out, look at them, study it for a little bit. Then I’ll take four or five more swings, step out. Someone else will just take 30, 40 swings and they’ll be done in four minutes, where I’ll be done in 30 or 40 minutes.”
Martinez readily admits that he “changed everything” about his swing with the help of Craig Wallenbrock and (now Dodgers hitting coach) Robert Van Scoyoc, saving his career and turning him into a five-time All-Star. So what is he looking for in all that video?
“Is my hip sliding? Is my gather right? Am I connecting my front side? Is my heel staying down? Are my hands staying up when I land?” he said, reciting some of the “cues” he looks for. “It’s infinite. Is my elbow dropping? Am I rolling over? I could be here all day (listing them).
“Your body changes every day. And for me, I don’t have a natural swing like Freddie (Freeman) where he takes 14, 15 flips and he can go out there and hit. I wish I could do that. That’s not what God gave me. He gave me something else. He gave me the ability to go out there and grind.”
The grind is paying off recently. In his first 11 games since returning from a back injury that landed him on the injured list for the first third of May, Martinez was 13 for 46 (.283) with five home runs and 15 RBIs. He took an eight-game hitting streak into Wednesday’s game with three of those home runs coming in the first two games of the series in Atlanta.
But Martinez won’t be putting his tablet away.
“Once you get happy, the game humbles you,” he said. “You’ve got to keep grinding. Put your head down and come up for air when the season’s over. That’s how I view it. I never get caught up in it. I’m always just worrying about the next pitcher, the next at-bat.”
Almonte adjustment
Right-hander Yency Almonte got off to a bad start this season and sported an ERA of 9.00 after giving up two home runs in an inning against the St. Louis Cardinals last week.
He has followed that up with three scoreless innings, though, and struck out the side in the sixth inning Tuesday night.
“He’s one of our guys,”
Roberts said. “I felt like there was a little bit of pressing from him, trying to be perfect and just kind of getting out of that mindset of having to be perfect, (thinking) you’re letting guys down, and just kind of be yourself – that’s what I’ve seen the last couple outings. The quality of pitches, the location of the fastball has been very good. Slider, good. This is the guy we had all of last year.”
Almonte had a 1.02 ERA in 33 appearances last year before a late-season elbow injury.
Pitching prospects
Clayton Kershaw is expected to rejoin the Dodgers in Tampa this weekend and make his next start on Saturday. Julio Urias has been throwing off flat ground and will test his injured hamstring by throwing a bullpen session Friday or Saturday. He is eligible to come off the IL next weekend.
In the meantime, Roberts said rookies Gavin Stone and Bobby Miller will remain in the starting rotation.
“Right now with Bobby and Gavin, we know Bobby will make another start. Gavin’s got some runway as well,” Roberts said. “We’ll just see start to start. I think that’s probably the safest way to go.”
Stone is scheduled to make his next start Sunday in Tampa with Miller making his Dodger Stadium debut on Monday against the Washington Nationals.