Joseph Andrew Martinez (born February 26, 1983) is an American former
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB)
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the 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 ...
. He played parts of four seasons for the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
(2009–2010),
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
(2010),
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
(2012), and
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
(2013). Martinez threw right-handed but batted left-handed.
A native of
South Orange, New Jersey
South Orange, officially the Township of South Orange Village, is a suburban township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village's population was 16,198, reflecting a decline of 766 (4.5%) fro ...
, Martinez played four years of
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
for the
Boston College Eagles
The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams that represent Boston College, located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivisio ...
. Used exclusively as a
starting pitcher
In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...
as a senior in 2005, he was drafted by the Giants in the 12th round of the
2005 MLB Draft
The 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams. It is widely considered to be one of the best ...
. Progressing through the minor leagues, he won the 2009 Harry S. Jordan Award as the Giant who did the best in his first
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
, making San Francisco's
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
roster as a result. He picked up the win on Opening Day, April 7, but two days later, he suffered a concussion and three fractured bones when a
line drive
In the sports of baseball and softball, a batted ball is a pitch that has been contacted by the batter's bat. Batted balls are either fair or foul, and can be characterized as a fly ball, pop-up, line drive, or ground ball. In baseball, a fou ...
off the bat of
Mike Cameron
Michael Terrance Cameron (born January 8, 1973) is an American former professional Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, Bos ...
hit him in the forehead. The injury kept him out for several months, but he returned to the Giants later in the season. After being the
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They are located in Fresno, California, and play their home games at Chukchansi Park, which was opened in 2002 in do ...
' best starter in 2010, he was called up in mid-June when
Todd Wellemeyer was injured; he made one start before being replaced by
Madison Bumgarner
Madison Kyle Bumgarner (born August 1, 1989), commonly known by his nickname, "MadBum", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). Previously, he pitched for the San Francisco Giants ...
in the rotation. Midway through the year, he was traded to the Pirates.
Assigned to the minor leagues, Martinez did not pitch for the Pirates until September, when he made five relief appearances. He spent all of 2011 in the minor leagues for Cleveland. In 2012, he pitched in one game for the Diamondbacks, and he made two appearances for Cleveland in 2013. After a brief stint in the minor leagues for the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
in 2014, he retired. In 2022, MLB hired Martinez as their Senior Director of On-Field Operations.
High school and college
Martinez was born in
South Orange, New Jersey
South Orange, officially the Township of South Orange Village, is a suburban township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village's population was 16,198, reflecting a decline of 766 (4.5%) fro ...
, on February 26, 1983.
At
Seton Hall Preparatory School
Seton Hall Preparatory School, generally called Seton Hall Prep or "The Prep", is a Roman Catholic all boys' high school located in the suburban community of West Orange in Essex County, New Jersey, operating under the supervision of the Arch ...
in
West Orange, he played multiple sports at the
varsity level: four years of
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
, three years of
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
, and two years of
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
.
As a baseball player, he was twice a member of New Jersey's All-State team. He graduated in 2001 and became a member of the school's Hall of Fame in 2007.
Following high school, Martinez played
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
for the
Boston College Eagles
The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams that represent Boston College, located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivisio ...
. As a freshman in 2002, he posted a 0–0
record, allowing no
earned runs
In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an err ...
in 26
innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
. In 2003, he posted a 1–0 record with a 9.16
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) in six games (two starts), pitching 18 innings. He went 2–4 with a 0.87 ERA in 15 games (seven starts) in 2004,
striking out
''Striking Out'' is an Irish television legal drama series, broadcast on RTÉ, that first aired on 1 January 2017. Produced by Bl!nder F!lms for RTÉ Television, ''Striking Out'' stars Amy Huberman as Dublin-based solicitor Tara Rafferty, who is ...
56 batters in 52 innings.
After the 2004 season, he played
collegiate summer baseball
Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...
with the
Hyannis Mets
The Hyannis Harbor Hawks, formerly the Hyannis Mets, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Hyannis, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's West Division. The Harbor Hawks play ...
of the
Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over one thousan ...
. He was named a league
all-star and posted a 2–5 record with a 2.84 ERA.
In Martinez's senior year of 2005, the Eagles used him entirely as a
starting pitcher
In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...
.
On April 18, he was named the
Big East
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and ...
Pitcher of the Week after recording 11 strikeouts while
shutting out the
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the athletic teams that represent Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus. In sports, Rutgers is famously known for being the "Birthplace of College Football", hosting the first ever intercollegiate football ...
. He won the award for a second time on May 16 after pitching his fifth consecutive complete game, a three-hit shutout of the
Pittsburgh Panthers
The Pittsburgh Panthers, commonly also referred to as the Pitt Panthers, are the athletic teams representing the University of Pittsburgh, although the term is colloquially used to refer to other aspects of the university such as alumni, facu ...
. In 2005, he made 12 starts, posting an 8–3 record, a 2.63 ERA, and 97 strikeouts in 89 innings pitched.
Playing career
San Francisco Giants
Draft and minor leagues
The
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
drafted Martinez in the 12th round of the
2005 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft, and he began his professional career the same year.
He played for the
Class A Short Season
Class A Short Season (officially Short-Season A) was a level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States from 1965 through 2020. In the hierarchy of minor league classifications, it was below Triple-A, Double-A, Class A-Advanced (cre ...
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes are a baseball team located in Keizer, Oregon, who are charter members of the Mavericks Independent Baseball League, a four-team league entirely based in the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area and playing all their home ...
of the
Northwest League
The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Pacific Northwest, Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Maj ...
in 2005, going 4–3 with a 4.30 ERA in 15 games (13 starts).
Martinez allowed nine home runs that year, the third-most in the league.
In 2006, he played for the Class A
Augusta Greenjackets
The Augusta GreenJackets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at SRP Park in North Augusta, South Carolina, which opened in April 2018. They previous ...
of the
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...
, going 15–5 with a 3.01 ERA in 26 starts.
His 15 wins and innings pitched trailed only
Matt Maloney
Matthew Patrick Maloney (born December 6, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player who played seven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Early years
Maloney was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, but grew up in ...
's totals for the league lead, and he also finished in the top five in starts (third) and ERA (fifth).
In 2007, Martinez pitched For the
Class A Advanced San Jose Giants
The San Jose Giants are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Located in San Jose, California, the Giants play their home games at Excite Ballpark.
Games
San Jose Giants ga ...
of the
California League
The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leag ...
. He twice recorded 11 strikeouts, first against the
Stockton Ports
The Stockton Ports are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are located in Stockton, California, and are named for the city's seaport. The team plays its home games at Ba ...
on May 1, and later against the
Modesto Nuts
The Modesto Nuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Modesto, California, and are named for the several types of nuts grown in the region. They play the ...
on July 13.
He went 10–10 with a 4.26 ERA in 28 starts.
Martinez's 151 strikeouts led the league; at the same time, he
walked only 36 batters.
Promoted to the
Class AA
Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League ...
Connecticut Defenders
The Connecticut Defenders were a Minor League Baseball team based in Norwich, Connecticut. The team, which played in the Eastern League, was the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major-league club from 2003 until following the 2009 ...
in 2008, Martinez became an
Eastern League All-Star.
He was the league's pitcher of the week for the period ending June 23, during which he threw seven scoreless innings in a victory over the
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays major league club.
During the team's first seas ...
.
In 27 starts, he went 10–10, leading the Eastern League with a 2.49 ERA.
2009
In 2009, Martinez won the Harry S. Jordan Award, presented annually by the Giants to a player who exemplifies performance and dedication in his first
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
. He competed with
Keiichi Yabu
(born September 28, 1968) is a Japanese baseball pitching coach for the Hanshin Tigers and a former baseball pitcher. He played eleven seasons in Japan, and parts of two seasons in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics in 2005 and the ...
and
Ramón Ortiz
Ramón Diógenes Ortiz (born May 23, 1973) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Anaheim Angels, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, Los Angele ...
to be the Giants'
long reliever
A long reliever or long-relief pitcher is a relief pitcher in baseball who enters the game if the starting pitcher leaves the game early.
Long relievers often enter in the first three innings of a game when the starting pitcher cannot continue, w ...
.
At the end of spring training, he was named to the team's
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
roster at the end of spring training. Martinez posted a 1.72 ERA over his final five appearances of the preseason, and Giants reliever
Sergio Romo
Sergio Francisco Romo (born March 4, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League. He has previously played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, Miami ...
was still recovering from an elbow injury.
"We like the way (Martinez) throws," said Giants'
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
Bruce Bochy
Bruce Douglas Bochy (; born April 16, 1955), nicknamed "Boch" and "Headly", is an American professional baseball manager and former catcher who is the current manager of the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He managed the San Diego ...
. "He holds runners and does all the little things on the mound. He handles the bat. He throws strikes. He has a good
sinker."
Martinez made his MLB debut on Opening Day (April 7), relieving
Tim Lincecum
Timothy Leroy Lincecum ( ; born June 15, 1984), nicknamed "The Freak", "The Franchise", "The Freaky Franchise" and "Big Time Timmy Jim", is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San ...
after the starter allowed three runs in three innings against the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
. In what the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
called a "rocky two innings", Martinez gave up two earned runs but picked up the victory, as the Giants took and held the lead in a 10–6 triumph. Two days later, in the ninth inning against Milwaukee, a
line drive
In the sports of baseball and softball, a batted ball is a pitch that has been contacted by the batter's bat. Batted balls are either fair or foul, and can be characterized as a fly ball, pop-up, line drive, or ground ball. In baseball, a fou ...
off the bat of
Mike Cameron
Michael Terrance Cameron (born January 8, 1973) is an American former professional Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, Bos ...
struck Martinez in the forehead, lacerating him and causing a nose bleed. He was able to walk off the field unaided, but was taken to a local hospital. Doctors diagnosed him with a
concussion
A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...
and three small fractures to his skull, but they expected him to make a full recovery. He spent a few days in the hospital as a precaution.
Reporter Jeff Chiu called the incident "one of the most frightening moments a pitcher can have on the mound", adding that Martinez "was lucky not to have been more seriously injured on the play".
After missing several months of the season, Martinez was sent to the minor leagues for a rehab assignment. All seven of his appearances were starts, as the Giants still hoped for him to be a starting pitcher. On August 5, 2009, Martinez returned to the major leagues, facing the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
in his first major league start. He replaced
Ryan Sadowski
Ryan Keith Sadowski (born October 4, 1982) is a retired American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants and in Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) for the Lotte Giants. He is currently ...
in the pitching rotation. Martinez won the game, allowing three runs in five innings with no walks and four strikeouts.
He made several more starts that month but failed to pitch more than five innings in any of them.
On August 28, he was optioned to the
Class AAA
Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL ...
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They are located in Fresno, California, and play their home games at Chukchansi Park, which was opened in 2002 in do ...
of the
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
after giving up eight runs the night before in an 11–0 loss to the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
. Martinez was recalled by the Giants on September 8 but made only two more appearances for them the rest of the year, both in relief.
In nine games (five starts), Martinez had a 3–2 record, a 7.50 ERA, 19 strikeouts, 12 walks, and 46 hits allowed in 30 innings pitched.
He was the Giants' nominee for the
Hutch Award
The Hutch Award is given annually to an active Major League Baseball (MLB) player who "best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire" of Fred Hutchinson, by persevering through adversity. The award was created in 1965 in honor of Hu ...
, given annually to a player who perseveres through adversity, though
Mark Teahen
Mark Thomas Teahen (born September 6, 1981) is an American-Canadian former professional baseball infielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays.
He graduated from Yucaip ...
was the eventual winner.
2010
Martinez attended spring training with the Giants in 2010, but right elbow inflammation limited him to one game, and he was optioned to Fresno on March 23. That season, ''
The Fresno Bee
''The Fresno Bee'' is a daily newspaper serving Fresno, California, and surrounding counties in that U.S. state's central San Joaquin Valley. It is owned by The McClatchy Company and ranks fourth in circulation among the company's newspapers. I ...
'' reported that he was "arguably
he Grizzlies'best starter". In 14 games (13 starts), he posted a 5–3 record, a 3.32 ERA, 65 strikeouts, 26 walks, and 78 hits allowed in innings pitched.
Due to an injury to
Todd Wellemeyer, Martinez was called up by the Giants on June 11. Starting in place of Wellemeyer against the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
on June 15, Martinez pitched innings but allowed four runs in a 4–1 defeat.
"I was a little out of synch not having pitched for 10 days, but it was good enough to get a lot of
ground ball
In the sports of baseball and softball, a batted ball is a pitch that has been contacted by the batter's bat. Batted balls are either fair or foul, and can be characterized as a fly ball, pop-up, line drive, or ground ball. In baseball, a fou ...
s that just found holes," Martinez afterwards described his performance.
The Giants elected to use top prospect
Madison Bumgarner
Madison Kyle Bumgarner (born August 1, 1989), commonly known by his nickname, "MadBum", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). Previously, he pitched for the San Francisco Giants ...
the next time Wellemeyer's turn in the rotation came around, and Martinez was moved to the
bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
. Seldom-used, he made only four appearances (counting the start) through the
trade deadline
In professional sports within the United States and Canada, a trade is a sports league transaction between sports clubs involving the exchange of player rights from one team to another. Though player rights are the primary trading assets, draft p ...
of July 31, posting an 0–1 record and a 4.91 ERA.
On that date, he was traded to the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
with
John Bowker for
Javier López.
After his departure, the Giants went on to win the
2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2010 season. The 106th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Texas Rangers and the Nati ...
. As a member of the team that season, he received a ceremonial World Series ring, which he had to pick up from a
FedEx
FedEx Corporation, formerly Federal Express Corporation and later FDX Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company focused on transportation, e-commerce and business services based in Memphis, Tennessee. The name "Fe ...
distribution center in New Jersey.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates immediately optioned Martinez to the Class AAA
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory Field, which open ...
of the
International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
. In seven games (four starts), he posted a 1–2 record, a 5.72 ERA, 18 strikeouts, seven walks, and 46 hits allowed in innings.
He was promoted by the Pirates on September 5. Despite Martinez's starting experience, manager
John Russell said the team planned to use him as a relief pitcher. He made five relief appearances for them, recording no record and a 3.12 ERA.
In nine games (one start) combined between San Francisco and Pittsburgh, he had an 0–1 record, a 4.12 ERA, nine strikeouts, nine walks, and 26 hits allowed in innings.
Cleveland Indians organization
On January 4, 2011, Martinez was traded by the Pirates to the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
for cash considerations. He was outrighted to the International League's
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They are located in Columbus, Ohio, and are named for speedy Merchant ship, mercha ...
on February 18. In 35 games (16 starts), he had an 8–9 record, a 4.04 ERA, 101 strikeouts, 29 walks, and 136 hits allowed in 118 innings.
The Clippers won the International League championship. In the
Triple-A National Championship Game
The Triple-A National Championship Game is a single interleague postseason baseball game between the league champions of the two affiliated Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball (MiLB)—the International League (IL) and Pacific Coast Lea ...
on September 20, Martinez threw seven innings and was named the game's Most Valuable Player as Columbus defeated the
Omaha Storm Chasers
The Omaha Storm Chasers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They are located in Papillion, Nebraska, a suburb southwest of Omaha, and play their home games at Wer ...
by a score of 8–3. On November 2, he became a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Martinez signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks on December 5, 2011.
He began the 2012 season with the Pacific Coast League's
Reno Aces
The Reno Aces are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Reno, Nevada, and play their home games at Greater Nevada Field, which opened in 2009. ...
. On April 24, he and fellow pitcher
Mike Zagurski
Michael Justin Zagurski (born January 27, 1983), is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Yank ...
were recalled to Arizona as
Joe Paterson was sent to the minor leagues and
Jonathan Albaladejo
Jonathan Albaladejo Santana ( ; born October 30, 1982) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Washington Nationals, New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks in Major League Baseball (MLB), as well as the Yomi ...
was
designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
.
Fox Sports
Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world.
The ''Fox Sports'' name has since been used for other sports media assets. These assets are held mainly by the Fo ...
suggested that the Diamondbacks intended to use him as a
long reliever
A long reliever or long-relief pitcher is a relief pitcher in baseball who enters the game if the starting pitcher leaves the game early.
Long relievers often enter in the first three innings of a game when the starting pitcher cannot continue, w ...
, as
Wade Miley
Wade Allen Miley (born November 13, 1986) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Miley in the first round of the 2008 MLB draft. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the ...
, who had previously filled the role, was now making starts. Martinez made his lone MLB appearance of the year on April 25, giving up one run in the final inning of a 7–2 loss to the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
.
Five days later, he was sent back to Reno when
Patrick Corbin
Patrick Alan Corbin (born July 19, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He won the 2019 World Series with the Nation ...
was called up for the first time.
In 27 starts for Reno, he had a 10–11 record, a 5.39 ERA, 99 strikeouts, 49 walks, and 206 hits allowed in innings.
His 11 losses tied with five others for second-most in the Pacific Coast League, behind
Zach Jackson's 13. On October 25, he became a free agent.
Cleveland Indians
Martinez re-signed with the Cleveland Indians on December 14, 2012, on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
After opening the 2013 season with Columbus, he was added to the major league roster on June 29 when
Matt Langwell was sent down. He pitched two scoreless innings in that day's game, earning the victory in a 4–3 triumph over the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
. "He really clutched up...that's not the easiest situation to be put into," manager
Terry Francona
Terrence Jon Francona (born April 22, 1959), nicknamed "Tito", is an American baseball manager and former player who is the manager of the Cleveland Guardians in Major League Baseball (MLB). Previously, he was the manager of the Boston Red Sox fo ...
said of Martinez's entering a tied game for his first MLB appearance in over a year. Six days later, he pitched the final three innings and allowed a run in a 7–0 loss to the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
. Following that game, he was sent back to Columbus so the Indians could promote
Carlos Carrasco. In 24 games (21 starts), he had a 3–7 record, a 5.26 ERA, 90 strikeouts, 27 walks, and 163 hits allowed in 130 innings pitched.
He filed for free agency on October 1.
On March 4, 2014, Martinez signed with the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
.
He lost all three starts that he made for the
Salt Lake Bees
The Salt Lake Bees are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. They are located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and play their home games at Smith's Ballpark. The ballpark op ...
of the Pacific Coast League, posting a 16.36 ERA before announcing his retirement on April 21.
Career statistics and pitching style
In 21 games (six starts) over parts of four MLB seasons, Martinez posted a 4–3 record, a 5.82 ERA, 32 strikeouts, 21 walks, and 78 hits allowed in innings.
His primary pitch was a
fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thro ...
, which he threw 64.9 percent of the time during his MLB career; it averaged . He also threw a
curveball
In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
26.7 percent of the time and a
changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball.
The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
7.2 percent of the time; these pitches travelled around . In the two games in which he pitched in 2013, he threw the fastball less than half the time, relying more heavily on his secondary pitches, as well as a
cut fastball
In baseball, a cut fastball or cutter is a type of fastball that breaks toward the pitcher's glove-hand side, as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a four-seam fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider ...
. He threw right-handed but batted left-handed.
Personal life
Martinez's father, Javier Sr., is a teacher who came to the United States from Cuba in 1961. Martinez's mother, Toni, is also a teacher; she was employed by
Columbia High School Columbia High School may refer to:
*Columbia High School (Huntsville, Alabama)
*Columbia High School (Georgia)
*Columbia High School (Florida)
*Columbia High School (Idaho)
*Columbia High School (Illinois)
*Columbia High School (Mississippi), a Mis ...
. His younger brother, Javier Jr., pitched in the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
organization in 2007 and 2008.
[ (Note: Some information under "View More Bio Info+")] Martinez and his wife Casey have three children together.
During the baseball offseason, Martinez worked as a substitute teacher, a job that he left after retiring from baseball. He worked as a financial advisor after leaving baseball and declined his acceptance into the
Master of Business Administration
A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...
program at
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
in favor of a job at
PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers is an international professional services brand of firms, operating as partnerships under the PwC brand. It is the second-largest professional services network in the world and is considered one of the Big Four accounting ...
.
On February 1, 2022, MLB hired Martinez as their Senior Director of On-Field Operations.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martinez, Joe
1983 births
Living people
Major League Baseball pitchers
Baseball players from New Jersey
San Francisco Giants players
Pittsburgh Pirates players
Arizona Diamondbacks players
Cleveland Indians players
People from South Orange, New Jersey
Seton Hall Preparatory School alumni
American sportspeople of Cuban descent
Boston College Eagles baseball players
Hyannis Harbor Hawks players
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes players
Augusta GreenJackets players
San Jose Giants players
Connecticut Defenders players
Fresno Grizzlies players
Arizona League Giants players
Indianapolis Indians players
Columbus Clippers players
Reno Aces players
Salt Lake Bees players
Sportspeople from the New York metropolitan area