F-Mart and hustle

by briands84 on Apr 24, 2007 10:32 AM EDT Comment 29 comments

http://www.nypost.com/seven/04242007/sports/mets/pedros_on_target_for_return_in_august_mets_mark_hal e.htm

"Fernando Martinez, the Mets' 18-year-old marvel, was pulled from Sunday's Double-A Binghamton game because he was "not running as hard to first base," according to Mets VP of Player Development Tony Bernazard.
"It's a policy of the organization no matter who it is," said Bernazard, who said he spoke with the outfielder on Sunday."

Has anyone heard anything about his character?

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Character?!?

Wow -- the kid didn't run hard to first base once and people are questioning his character? What's next -- he's on the sauce?

Perhaps he punched a stripper in the face at a club and then prompted one of his "associates" to shoot the club's security guard.

Or maybe he's an 18-year-old kid in a terrible slump and he had an off-play?

by Ur on Apr 24, 2007 10:41 AM EDT reply actions

Wait For It

Any minute now Bravesin07 will proclaim he's the most overrated Mets' prospect since Lastings Milledge due to his attitude problem. Mahalo

Matt

I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.

by WayneCampbell05 on Apr 24, 2007 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Positives

I think it's great that the Mets are taking a hard line with him from the beginning. He's an 18-year old kid learning to be an adult: he's going to need lessons like this especially if he ends up in the majors as, say, a 21 year old which looks like how his path is ending up. Better now to teach him the right way to play as opposed to waiting until he's in the national spotlight and saying lots of dumb quotes about "growing pains".

by Lunkwill Fook on Apr 24, 2007 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Good grief

I simply asked whether people had heard anything to suggest this was an isolated incident or indicative of a larger problem.
Nowhere did I use the word overrated.

Deep breaths....

by briands84 on Apr 24, 2007 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Hah

He is a prospect who will be very good. I compared him to a young Miguel Cabrera, well he's already showing signs of Cabrera by not hustling.

by Bravesin07 on Apr 24, 2007 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions

be quiet already please

by JDSussman on Apr 24, 2007 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions

second

that

by Rob Castellano on Apr 24, 2007 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Or Maybe

the poster was ASKING if anyone has heard anything about his character. My apologies if I am misreading sarcasm, but your post seems a little out of place since he was just asking a question and not making any judgements.

by count sutton on Apr 24, 2007 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

I was at the game

Martinez was complaining and rubbing his left shoulder between batting & infield practice.
I have pictures of him holding his shoulder. I'll be sure to get the pics posted soon.
I can't say for sure why he was pulled, but my guess at the time was obvious.

-He batted third & went 0-3 in game 1 against NH.

-Scheduled to bat leadoff in game 2, but was scratched.

-Batted leadoff tonight. Hit a single up the middle in his first AB and later scored. He finished 1-5. He also made a few nice grabs in center.

In game one he seemed to misjudge a rope hit right at him. The ball went just over his glove as he dove back for it.
I figured this play may have been the reason why his shoulder was acting up the next day.

That's all I know folks. The pics will be up tomorrow evening.

by El Diablo on Apr 25, 2007 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions

My bad

I just read the article and noticed the game in which he was pulled was on Sunday. The game I referred to was on Tuesday.

I should have read the article prior...sorry.

by El Diablo on Apr 25, 2007 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow...

Martinez is now my favorite C+ prospect...

by MetfanBren on Apr 24, 2007 10:53 AM EDT reply actions

A little follow up though...

http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/mets/archives/2007/04/more_on_pedro_a.html

Some of my notebook today ended up getting cut but here's some more information on the two key Martinezes in the Met organization -- Fernando and Pedro.

As you know from my story, Fernando Martinez -- the Mets' 18-year-old outfielder in Double-A Binghamton who's the best position prospect in the organization -- was removed from the game on Sunday for not going all-out to first base.

Mets VP of player development Tony Bernazard told me it's the first time this has happened to Martinez. Of his conversation with Martinez on Sunday, Bernazard said, "It went well. This is a very smart kid. He's embarrassed."

Added Bernazard, "Eighteen-year-old kid got frustrated. He learned his lesson from that. He's a kid that's very talented, very proud. He wants to do great. But 18 years old, he learned his lesson."

Martinez was hitting .231 with a homer through 10 games going into yesterday. He had drawn five walks, too, and stolen two bases. Bernazard said Martinez has been "having very good at-bats. He's going to hit."

by MetfanBren on Apr 24, 2007 10:56 AM EDT reply actions

blah blah blah

I must say you do a great job of self promotion.

by JFP on Apr 24, 2007 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Ummmmmm?

Yes, I'm self promoting someone else's blog (Mark Hale's), which is where the original information that this thread was based on came from. Nothing gets by you obviously...

by MetfanBren on Apr 24, 2007 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Uncalled for

He had information specifically about the question posed in the diary. Why you'd be rude to someone passing on interesting information is beyond me.

Reporting on Baseball from around the world! http://globalbaseball.wordpress.com

by jhelfgott on Apr 24, 2007 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions

JFP

Isn't the only one on this board that loves to put other people down. It is an unfortunate byproduct of message boards in general - you tend to attract a few a-holes no matter what you do.

by guru4u on Apr 24, 2007 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

who

who does this guy project to? is he Tabata like?

by TexasHeat on Apr 24, 2007 11:04 AM EDT reply actions

hahaha

by JDSussman on Apr 24, 2007 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions

sorry

thought u were making a joke. cuz they are always compared

by JDSussman on Apr 24, 2007 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Different

They're the same age, and are generally ranked right next to each other in lists. Maybe I'm being a homer, but I really don't understand why Tabata seems to be so much better known than Fernando. That said, while Tabata is more the toolsy, fast outfielder who might well turn into a power bat in center, F-Mart projects as more of a slugging corner OF/first base kind of guy.

As for what he projects to, it's really tough to say because he's come up through the system so quickly (he's 18 at Double-A). Just think lefty power bat that can hit for some average and draw some walks as a baseline, and time will tell whether his ceiling is far beyond that.

by MontrealMets on Apr 24, 2007 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions

well,

personally i heard of tabata first,
it seemed like he got some attention from a bunch of different places and it took off.

i like martinez better, though.

by god allah star on Apr 24, 2007 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions

tabata vs martinez

comparing them at the times they signed, martinez was the bigger name but tabata soon surpassed him in the publicity department because he impressed a lot of people in his debut in the GCL at age 16 in 2005 showing plus speed and a great knowledge of the strike zone, and martinez didnt make his debut in the states till last year

martinez showed more power last year, but tabata showed a better knowledge of the strikezone, (striking out at a lower rate and walking at a higher one)

tabata doesnt have the same build as martinez, but has better speed. He stole 22 bases in 45 games in the GCL (led the league i think) but came to camp overweight last year and whether it was because of this or a managerial decision, he only stole 15 bases in 80 plus games in the Sally league. However this year, he's back running, having already stolen 6 bases and being caught once in 16 games.

of what i've seen of tabata, he's a line drive hitter who likes to hit the ball hard all over the field (his HR this spring was a line drive the opposite way) who;s stance looks nearly identical to manny ramirez...cant say whether he'll hit for the same power, but theres been discussions here that he wont because of his size (listed at 5'11'' 160 lb), however manny himself is only listed at 6'0'', though significantly thicker.

the coaches in the minors last year seemed to agree that tabata had the stronger bat, which is what pushed him ahead in their eyes...he's also got a very strong arm, but there seems to be some confusion as to where he'll end up, people keep referring to him as a CF (which is where he played in the futures game), but he hasnt played there since the GCL, having played RF last year and this year in the FSL

i didnt say much about martinez for obvious reasons, but its pretty easy to see where the comp comes from, both with NY teams, play the OF, latin and extremely young...i havent seen martinez play enough but i'm not sure how much the comparison goes beyond that...theyre not completely different players at this point, but that doesnt mean theyre very comparable either

FWIW, i

by nyybaseball99 on Apr 24, 2007 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Tabata

He isn't 160 anymore. I don't know why they don't update that. Tabata I heard is between 200-210 now which is around Ramirez size.

by Bravesin07 on Apr 24, 2007 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Tony Bernazard

Now THATs a name that I haven't heard in a long, long time.

http://www.deweyshouse.com

by SmokeyJoeWood on Apr 24, 2007 12:23 PM EDT reply actions

He was my...

America Legion coach in high school.

He also screwed up the original Carlos Delgado negotiations.

by templeUsox on Apr 24, 2007 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Fernando

has a very great attitude, sounds like a great kid

by pedrophile on Apr 24, 2007 1:28 PM EDT reply actions

Read that if you want people

http://www.projectprospect.com/fernando-martinez-interview/

a nice incite to the youngster we refer to as FMART

by JDSussman on Apr 24, 2007 1:34 PM EDT reply actions

Peter North's diary

I thought PN's diary from a couple of weeks ago was premature. Why? Because Martinez is 18. It's the rare young adult who ably handles pressure; AA isn't nearly the same as A, but it isn't the same as the majors, either.

I'm sure the hustle thing is an isolated incident, and I'm glad that they're taking a hard line with him. But this is why you give players time; being an adult has nothing to do with how hard you hustle, but being a professional does, and Martinez needs to work on that. (That's why he, along with most young players, is spending time in the minors - to learn how to be a professional.)

by historypeats on Apr 24, 2007 4:36 PM EDT reply actions

To take it a Step Further...

All of these Diaries are pretty premature. We are talking about 18 year olds in A and AA ball, failing to mention that its 19 days into the season and a single raises Fernando's BA 20 points. Forget the fact that Binghamton has played very few games so far. Lets let these kids play for a few more weeks before we declare them busts. These are kids who have 6 walks in 10 IP and we are all FREAKING out. Maybe we can wait till a player gets 7 starts before we declare them the next Sandy Kofax or a Bill Pulsipher.

Thank you.

by JDSussman on Apr 24, 2007 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions