Russell Martin is a great game caller – and has been on teams making the playoffs in 6 of the last 7 years between LAD/NYY and Pit. He will turn 32 before next season, and has logged 1163 Games in the Majors as a backstopper. Signing him to a 5 Year deal, at $16.5 MIL per annum is not wise..

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Jays Acquire Russell Martin

I get it, the guy may help you for the next 2 years, but to spend $82 MIL on a 5 year contract for a Catcher north of 30, who doesn’t have 20 HRs per year is beyond stupid.

Keep in mind, you are now paying him more cash than you pay Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion,  Those were steals for deals on signings, but that will be now trumped by Martin.

I will say the man will help the Pitching Staff in the future years.  Honestly though, this team needed to sign an ace pitcher like Max Scherzer or Jon Lester, and at the least, a proven innings eater like James Shields.  Now you have effectively killed that chance.

The Blue Jays better hope that Justin Smoak can fill the bill at DH in a tandem with Dioner Navarro or Juan Francisco in the upcoming year, because as it stands right now, they are very heavy at the Right Handed side of their lineup.

Bautista, Encarnacion and Lawrie are all right handed, as is the newly acquired Catcher.

They still don’t have a bonafide LF yet, with Melky Cabrera as a Free Agent, and Dalton Pompey is just 22, to be given the reigns as a permanent CF is not 100% ironclad. Read the rest of this entry →