Game 57 - 2012 Phillies Team Issue 2 Update #7 Michael Martinez

Dodgers 6, Phillies 3
Game 57 - Late Friday Night, May 31st in Los Angeles
Record - 33-24, 1st place, 3 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Jake Arrieta allowed a trio of home runs in this 6-3 series opening loss to the Dodgers.

What It Means:  It won't get any easier against the Dodgers, currently the best team in the league and 20 games over .500 at 39-19.

What Happened:  Arrieta tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth with a single to left, after Andrew McCutchen (10) homered again in the fourth.  Max Muncy, Joc Pederson and Corey Seager all homered off Arrieta and Kike Hernandez added an eighth inning home run off Juan Nicasio to put the game away.

Featured Card:  Scott Kingery collected a pair of hits and started at third base.  He moved to center field in the seventh when Nicasio entered the game.  Matt Gelb Tweeted that Kingery became the second player since 1964 to play both third base and center field in a game for the Phillies since Michael Martinez did it back in 2013 in a 10-0 loss to the Tigers.

Transactions:  Zach Eflin joined a crowded Injured List with mid-back tightness and Cole Irvin was recalled from Lehigh Valley to take his place.  The Phillies currently have eight players on the Injured List, all pitchers except for Roman Quinn.

The Michael Martinez Era (12/9/10 - 10/7/13)

2014 Chachi Transactions #13

On October 7, 2013, the long and painful relationship between Michael Martinez and the Philadelphia Phillies came to an end.  Now I don't have statistical proof to back this up, but Martinez will go down in the franchise annals as one of the worst players of this mostly glorious era.  In parts of three seasons with the club, Mini Mart hit .187 over 162 games.  It was a constant source of consternation to Phillies fans everywhere as to why this guy was taking up a roster spot.  For whatever reason, former manager Charlie Manuel seemed to have a soft spot for Martinez, and he kept coming back up from Lehigh Valley like a persistent summer mosquito that just won't go away.

And now he's property of the Pirates.  Which means he'll probably hit a huge, dramatic game-winning home run against the Phillies at some point this year.

Moving On

Steven Lerud (10/1/13) - Elected free agency.  (Signed as a minor league free agent with the Atlanta Braves, 11/23/13)

Raul Valdes (10/2/13) - Claimed off waivers by the Houston Astros.

Tyler Cloyd (10/2/13) - Claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians.

Michael Martinez (10/7/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.  (Signed as a minor league free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates, 12/18/13)

Zach Miner (10/7/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.

Pete Orr (10/7/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.  (Signed as a minor league free agent with the Milwaukee Brewers, 1/27/14)

Roger Bernadina (10/17/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.  (Signed as a minor league free agent with the Cincinnati Reds, 1/31/14)

J.C. Ramirez (10/17/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.  (Signed as a minor league free agent with the Cleveland Indians, 11/1/13)

Casper Wells (10/17/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.  (Signed as a minor league free agent with the Chicago Cubs, 11/23/13)

John Lannan (10/17/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.  (Signed as a minor league free agent with the New York Mets, 1/18/14)

Roy Halladay (10/31/13) - Elected free agency.  (Signed by the Toronto Blue Jays and announced his retirement, 12/9/13)

Mauricio Robles (11/5/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and became a minor league free agent.

Erik Kratz (12/3/13) - Traded with Rob Rasmussen to the Toronto Blue Jays for Brad Lincoln.

Coming Back

Cesar Jimenez (11/15/13) - Signed to a minor league contract and invited to spring training.

Carlos Ruiz (11/21/13) - Resigned by the Phillies to a three-year contract with a club option for a fourth year.

New Additions

Marlon Byrd (11/12/13) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Brad Lincoln (12/3/13) - Acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays for Erik Kratz and Rob Rasmussen.

Wil Nieves (12/5/13) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Kevin Munson (12/12/13) - Selected in the Rule 5 draft from the Arizona Diamondacks.

Roberto Hernandez (12/18/13) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Tampa Bay Rays.

You'll notice I haven't added any of the players signed to minor league contracts to this New Additions list.  In an effort to keep the list semi-manageable, I've made the decision not to add the non-roster invitees to the list until after they've officially made the team.

2011 Topps #524 Michael Martinez

Thanks to a link provided by the MLB Trade Rumors website, it turns out that several of the players outrighted off the Phillies 40-man roster in recent weeks have officially departed by electing to become free agents.

Reports had surfaced late last week that Michael Martinez had already re-signed with the Phillies, but fortunately those reports proved to be false.  In his three seasons with the Phillies, Martinez hit .187 in 162 games and yet somehow he's ended up on more Topps cards than Phillies Room favorite, Kevin Frandsen.  The world is a confusing place.

Moving On

Steven Lerud (10/1/13) - Elected free agency.

Raul Valdes (10/2/13) - Claimed off waivers by the Houston Astros.

Tyler Cloyd (10/2/13) - Claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians.

Michael Martinez (10/7/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.

Zach Miner (10/7/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.

Pete Orr (10/7/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.

Roger Bernadina (10/17/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.

J.C. Ramirez (10/17/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.

Casper Wells (10/17/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.

John Lannan (10/17/13) - Outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.

Outrighted off the 40-man roster to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and not yet officially gone:

Mauricio Robles (10/3/13) followed by Cesar Jimenez (10/17/13)

Unless Miner, Bernadina and Wells appear in the 2014 Topps set as Phillies, these three players are most likely destined to never appear on baseball card as members of the club.

2013 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs Update #13 Michael Martinez

Braves 12, Phillies 5
Game 162 - Sunday Afternoon, September 29th in Atlanta
Record - 73-89, 4th Place, 23 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies limped into the offseason with yet another brutal loss, dropping the season finale to the Braves, 12-5.

What It Means:  Pitchers and catchers will report to Clearwater in about 140 days.  This is the seventh time since 1980 the Phillies have lost at least 89 games in a season.  The other forgettable seasons were - 1988 (96), 1989 (95), 1992 (92), 1996 (95), 1997 (94) and 2000 (97).

What Went Wrong:  The Phillies never had a chance in this game as starter Zach Miner allowed five runs in his 2 1/3 innings of work.  Relievers J.C. Ramirez and Cesar Jimenez couldn't stop the bleeding, allowing a combined five more runs in their three innings of work.

Featured Card:  Michael Martinez singled with two outs in the ninth for the final Phillies hit of the 2013 season.  Martinez, who in most organizations would represent Triple-A depth and not a Major League bat off the bench, perfectly represents the shortcomings of '13 Phillies.  He finished the season with a .175 average (7 for 40) in 28 games.  Nothing against Martinez and most of his 2013 Phillies teammates, but I hope they're playing elsewhere in 2014.

Memory Lane:  On a personal note, this is now the fifth season in a row that I've tracked the Phillies season with game summary posts following each game.  While the Phillies were definitely tough to watch at times this year, I still enjoyed my daily ritual of summarizing the game, sharing my personal thoughts on the team and coming up with a baseball card from my Phillies collection with some connection to the game.

I know I'm not breaking any news with these game summary posts, and I won't win any Pulitzer Prizes.  But it's fun.  And I'll be back next year.

Here are the links to the other Game 162s from the prior four seasons:

October 4, 2009 - Catcher Paul Hoover singled in the winning run in the 10th in a 7-6 win over the Marlins.
October 3, 2010 - The Phillies lost 8-7 to the Braves in their final tune-up before facing the Reds in the N.L.D.S.
September 28, 2011 - The Phillies closed out the 2011 regular season with a 13-inning victory against the Braves, setting a franchise record with their 102nd regular season win.
October 3, 2012 - The Phillies closed out their 2012 season with a lethargic 5-1 loss to the N.L. East Champion Nationals.

2013 Chachi #41 Michael Martinez

#7

Michael Gabriel Martinez

Infield

Bats: Switch  Throws: Right  Height: 5'9"  Weight: 175

Born: September 16, 1982, Santo Domingo, DR

Home: Santo Domingo, DR

Signed: Signed as an amateur free agent by the Washington Nationals, June 17, 2005

Teams: Phillies 2011-

Acquired: Selected in Rule 5 draft from the Washington Nationals, December 9, 2010

Contract Status: Pre-arbitration eligible

Non-Roster Invitees - The First 9

2012 Grandstand Reading Phillies #18, 2012 Topps #64,
2012 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs Update #15 and 2012 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #2

Much like the Rule 5 draft, the first announcement of non-roster invitees to Spring Training always excites me a little.  Slowly but surely, we're marching towards a new spring and a new season.  Last year, Kevin Frandsen and Raul Valdes were in the first batch of invitees, and they both ended up playing key roles on the 2012 Phillies.  Which of the following nine players will earn a roster spot in 2013?

Here are the first nine, with their 2012 organization and their last major cardboard appearance listed:

Player (position) - 2012 Organization - Last Major Cardboard Appearance
1.  Steven Lerud (c) - Phillies - 2004 Bowman #160 (Pirates)
2.  Michael Martinez (inf) - Phillies - 2012 Topps #64 (Phillies)
3.  Pete Orr (inf) - Phillies - 2008 Topps Update #UH72 (Nationals)

2012 Topps #590

These three players each spent time with the Phillies in 2012.  They've been removed from the 40-man roster and they'll try once against to make it back to the bigs.  This is Orr's third straight invitation to Spring Training as a non-roster player.  Lerud is the early favorite for the non-roster invitee with the longest time since his last major baseball card release.

4.  Cesar Jimenez (lhp) - Mariners - 2009 Upper Deck #857 (Mariners)
5.  Zach Miner (rhp) - Tigers - 2009 O-Pee-Chee #314 (Tigers)
6.  Humberto Quintero (c) - Royals/Marlins/Brewers - 2012 Topps #590 (Astros)
7.  Andres Blanco (inf) - Phillies - 2007 Topps #659 (Royals)
8.  Josh Fields (3b) - Dodgers - 2010 Topps #387 (Royals)
9.  Jermaine Mitchell (of) - Athletics - 2012 Bowman Platinum Prospects Autographs #JM (Athletics)

Of the nine players listed, Quintero has the best chance of making the opening day roster in light of the 50-game suspension being served by Carlos Ruiz in April and May.

* * *

I composed this post with a heavy heart after the horrific news that came out of Connecticut yesterday.  I gave my boys an extra hug before they went to bed last night.  My prayers and thoughts are with the families of the victims.

2012 Chachi #37 Michael Martinez

#7

Michael Gabriel Martinez

Infield

Bats: Switch  Throws: Right  Height: 5'9"  Weight: 175

Born: September 16, 1982, Santo Domingo, DR

Home: Santo Domingo, DR

Signed: Signed as an amateur free agent by the Washington Nationals, June 17, 2005

Teams: Phillies 2011-

Acquired: Selected in Rule 5 draft from the Washington Nationals, December 9, 2010

Contract Status: Pre-arbitration eligible

2011 Phillies Team Issue 2 #19 Michael Martinez

Phillies 8, Mets 5
Game 94 - Sunday Afternoon, July 17th in Flushing

One Sentence Summary:  Michael Martinez and Kyle Kendrick were the unlikely duo leading the Phils to victory over the Mets, 8-5.

What It Means:  The Phils improve to 59-35 and since the Braves won too, they maintained a 3 1/2 game lead in the East.  They now head to Chicago to open a three-game set tomorrow night.

What Went Right:  Kendrick (5-4) pitched seven innings, allowing just a run on six hits and three walks.  It seemed as if he was in trouble all afternoon, but he managed to escape each time.  The recently reliable bullpen didn't fare so well, allowing the Mets to creep back within reach with five runs in the last three innings.  Antonio Bastardo recorded a four-out save, his sixth, to close it out.

The big hit was Martinez' three-run home run in the fifth.  It was the first of his big league career and he'd finish the day with four RBIs.  Martinez, who can play all infield and outfield positions, has been seeing increased playing time with both Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco on the disabled list.  Jimmy Rollins enjoyed a three-hit day as well.

Featured Card:  I'd love to feature Martinez' first Topps card in this post, card #524 in Series 2, but I don't have it yet.  In fact, I haven't even gotten around to updating my 2011 Topps wantlist to feature the Phillies base card and inserts I need from Series 2.  Which of course means I have no idea about the Phillies cards contained within the just released, hysteria-inducing Topps Allen and Ginter set.  In short, I need to get on the ball.  This is Martinez' card from the Phillies Team Issue set, Series 2.  At least I have that under control.

2011 Chachi #12 Michael Martinez

#19

Michael Gabriel Martinez

Infield - Outfield

Bats: Switch  Throws: Right  Height: 5'9"  Weight: 145

Born: September 16, 1982, Santo Domingo, DR

Home: Santo Domingo, DR

Signed: Signed as an amateur free agent by the Washington Nationals, June 17, 2005

Teams: Phillies 2011-

Acquired: Selected in Rule 5 draft from the Washington Nationals, December 9, 2010

Contract Status: Pre-arbitration eligible

Complete Topps Base Set Checklist:

Martinez has yet to appear in a base Topps set.