J. D. Martin
Encyclopedia
John Dale Martin is a Major League Baseball
pitcher
who is in the Washington Nationals
organization.
Martin is described as "a strike-thrower with a below average fastball
who lives off of his changeup
." His "fastball clocks in the high-80s, at best, but he locates it well while mixing in a cutter
and changeup."
in the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft
and played for the Indians' organization for eight years. He suffered injuries, and in he underwent Tommy John surgery
, causing him to miss the second half of '05 and first half of . In 2008 he spent his last season in the Indians organization with their Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons
.
International League
Syracuse Chiefs, recording 63 strikeouts and 10 walks.
On July 19, , Martin was called up to replace injured pitcher Scott Olsen
. On July 20 he made his major league debut, starting for the Nationals against the New York Mets
. He pitched four innings and gave up five runs on eight hits, with one strikeout and no walks.
On August 9, , Martin earned his first major league win as he pitched five innings and gave up one run
on five hits
. The Nationals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks
9–2 in Martin's fifth start. He ended the season with a 5–4 record, 37 strikeouts, 24 walks, and a 4.44 earned run average in 15 starts.
After the 2010 season, he was given his outright release.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who is in the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
organization.
Martin is described as "a strike-thrower with a below average fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
who lives off of his changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
." His "fastball clocks in the high-80s, at best, but he locates it well while mixing in a cutter
Cutter (baseball)
In baseball, a cutter, or cut fastball, is a type of fastball which breaks slightly toward the pitcher's glove side as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider but with more motion than a typical fastball. Some...
and changeup."
Cleveland Indians
Martin was a first round pick by the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft
2001 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Selections:-Background:The Minnesota Twins selected St. Paul, MN native Joe Mauer with the number one pick in the 2001 draft. The 18-year-old Mauer, a catcher from Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, became the seventh Minnesotan to be...
and played for the Indians' organization for eight years. He suffered injuries, and in he underwent Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
, causing him to miss the second half of '05 and first half of . In 2008 he spent his last season in the Indians organization with their Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
.
Washington Nationals
On November 24, , Martin signed with Washington as a minor-league free agent. In the first half of 2009, he went 8–3 in 15 starts with a 2.66 ERA for the Triple-AMinor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
Syracuse Chiefs, recording 63 strikeouts and 10 walks.
On July 19, , Martin was called up to replace injured pitcher Scott Olsen
Scott Olsen
Scott Matthew Olsen is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who is a free agent.-Early life:Olsen was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan...
. On July 20 he made his major league debut, starting for the Nationals against the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. He pitched four innings and gave up five runs on eight hits, with one strikeout and no walks.
On August 9, , Martin earned his first major league win as he pitched five innings and gave up one run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
on five hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
. The Nationals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
9–2 in Martin's fifth start. He ended the season with a 5–4 record, 37 strikeouts, 24 walks, and a 4.44 earned run average in 15 starts.
After the 2010 season, he was given his outright release.