Rangers acquire catcher Luis Martinez from Padres

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 21, 2011 1:47 PM CST

The Texas Rangers have acquired catcher Luis Martinez from the San Diego Padres in exchange for minor league pitcher Ryan Kelly.

Martinez, 26, was the Padres' 12th round draft pick in the 2007 draft. His contract was purchased in November, 2010, and he was optioned last season, so he has two options remaining.

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2007	22	SDP-min	A,A-	45	181	150	21	38	10	0	2	17	27	45	.253	.367	.360	.727
2008	23	SDP-min	A	94	364	305	30	68	12	1	3	19	51	66	.223	.338	.298	.636
2009	24	SDP-min	A+,AAA	94	360	315	42	90	20	0	4	41	38	65	.286	.375	.387	.762
2010	25	SDP-min	AA	106	410	358	48	101	16	1	2	31	49	59	.282	.368	.349	.717
2011	26	SDP-min	AAA	58	219	198	24	64	17	1	1	28	17	46	.323	.379	.434	.813
2011	26	SDP	NL	22	68	59	7	12	1	1	1	10	8	14	.203	.309	.305	.614	76
1 Season				22	68	59	7	12	1	1	1	10	8	14	.203	.309	.305	.614	76
162 Game Avg.				162	501	434	52	88	7	7	7	74	59	103	.203	.309	.305	.614	76

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/21/2011.

Kelly is a 24 year old righthander who the Rangers acquired from Oakland last winter in exchange for Guillermo Moscoso. Kelly is a fringey arm in an organization loaded with fringey arms, and he probably didn't have much of a future here in Texas. I'm sure that, given the Padres' track record with these sorts of guys, he'll end up posting an ERA in the 1s in middle relief for San Diego in a few years.

Acquiring Martinez puts the Rangers' 40 man roster at 37 players, and he effectively replaces Taylor Teagarden as the team's third catcher, the guy who can bounce up and down between AAA and the majors as circumstances and roster needs dictate. The fact that he has a pair of options remaining is crucial here, since it allows the Rangers more roster flexibility than a player who would have to clear waivers to be sent down would give them.

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Comments

Does this mean Torrealba is expendable?

"the PGT isn’t about alerting drunk guys on their mobile as to what the score was." --goET 7-24-11

Pressure? If there’s any pressure it’s the pressure pressurizing the panty cannon.

by Atticus F on Dec 21, 2011 1:51 PM CST via mobile reply actions

Conceivably

But I think the Rangers would probably prefer a better 2nd catcher, particularly given that Napoli is going to be getting time at 1B and DH.

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 21, 2011 1:54 PM CST up reply actions

No, it means Teagarden was expendable

Some see a glass half empty, some a glass half full. I see a glass that's twice as big as it needs to be. - George Carlin

by t ball on Dec 22, 2011 12:53 AM CST up reply actions

slow day here at work

by huebone on Dec 21, 2011 1:57 PM CST reply actions

neat.

My mind just says throw ball throw hard and strike. - Marteen

by Keynes on Dec 21, 2011 2:10 PM CST via Android app reply actions

Here he is accepting the SD Defensive Player of the Year Award

Look at the bicep on this guy: http://www.gaslampball.com/2011/2/4/1975534/luis-martinez-san-diego-padres-catcher-acceptance-speech-via

Ephesians 3:20-21...and I can only imagine

by TedFord on Dec 21, 2011 2:19 PM CST reply actions

Did he call out to his father, Edgar?

If I heard that correctly, that’s not THE Edgar Martinez…right?

by Pryor D on Dec 21, 2011 2:54 PM CST up reply actions

What a week...first Yu, now this!!

Astronomy Picture of the Day

by lost in space on Dec 21, 2011 2:20 PM CST reply actions

HUGE!

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Dec 21, 2011 2:23 PM CST reply actions

Who?

by mizzou918 on Dec 21, 2011 2:31 PM CST via Android app reply actions

The more Kelly's, the merrier.

This day is slightly marred by the fact that John Rhadigan sucks a flaming bag of shit. - LiamP

by cmkelly29 on Dec 21, 2011 2:33 PM CST reply actions

We just lost a Kelly

by Heebs on Dec 21, 2011 2:37 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah... I don't know why I read that as we also acquired minor-league pitcher Ryan Kelly.

My bad.

This trade is a huge mistake.

This day is slightly marred by the fact that John Rhadigan sucks a flaming bag of shit. - LiamP

by cmkelly29 on Dec 21, 2011 2:42 PM CST up reply actions

Why?

Will he be spending time in RR? We didn’t carry 3 catchers last year, right? TT moved up and down and Treanor joined us after July. Maybe they expect Mike and YorTor will wilt in the heat?

Ian: If you didn't try to hit for average--or be the hitter that you are--and just tried to hit homers, how many do you think you'd hit this year and what would your average be?
Face: 74 home runs and, um... prolly hit around .370
Ian: ...Wow. Um... let's do that.

by Chewtoy123 on Dec 21, 2011 3:48 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions