Daily Notes: Carlos Martinez to Make First Major-League Start
Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of the Daily Notes.
1. Carlos Martinez to Make First Major-League Start
2. Today’s MLB.TV Free Game
3. Today’s Complete Schedule
Carlos Martinez to Make First Major-League Start
Introduction
Right-handed St. Louis prospect Carlos Martinez, who’s split time this season as a starter in the minors and also as a member of the Cardinal bullpen, makes his first major-league start today (Thursday) at 8:15pm ET against the Los Angeles Nationals.
Regarding Carlos Martinez, Who That Is
Martinez, known at the time as Carlos Matias, was originally signed by Boston in 2009 for $160 thousand out of the Dominican. Visa issues, however, rendered that agreement moot. In the meantime, Martinez’ velocity improved, and St. Louis signed him for considerably more ($1.5 million) in 2010.
Regarding Carlos Martinez, His Prospect Status
The 21-year-old Martinez appeared on a number of notable preseason prospect lists.
Baseball America: 38.
Baseball Prospectus: 43.
Bullpen Banter: 47.
FanGraphs (Marc Hulet): 35.
Minor League Ball (John Sickels): 20.
Regarding Carlos Martinez, His Numbers
Martinez has terrific arm speed (his fastball has averaged 97.0 mph exactly this season in relief), but appears to use it — or has used it, at least — more in the service of inducing weak contact than swinging strikes. Relative to league average, for examples, his strikeout rate (22.5%) is much less impressive than his ground-ball rate (62.5%). This appears to be the case with his minor-league resume, as well: between Double- and Triple-A this season, he’s recorded a strikeout rate of about 20%, but ground-ball rates (according both to Minor League Central and StatCorner) of 50-55%.
Regarding Carlos Martinez, His Repertoire
As the PITCHf/x chart below (featuring speed and horizontal movement) reveals, Martinez has thrown four different pitches out of the bullpen: a four-seam fastball at about 95-100 mph; a two-seamer at slightly less than that; a changeup (rather infrequenly) at 84-87 mph; and a curve at around 77-82 mph.
Action Footage: Martinez’ Fastball
Here’s footage — rather blurry footage, in fact, because the author is currently visiting his father, whose connection speed isn’t — here’s footage of Carlos Martinez from his most recent major-league appearance, inducing a ground-ball against Philadelphia’s Carlos Ruiz by way of a 99 mph fastball:
Action Footage: Martinez’ Fastball
Here’s Martinez doing a very similar thing — in this case, against Michael Martinez and by way of a 98 mph fastball:
Today’s MLB.TV Free Game
Colorado at New York NL | 12:10 ET
Jeff Manship (N/A) faces Dillon Gee (131.1 IP, 109 xFIP-, 0.5 WAR). It would be very fair to say that this game is actually “in progress” as of press time.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: New York NL Television.
Today’s Complete Schedule
Here’s the complete schedule for all of today’s games, with our very proprietary watchability (NERD) scores for each one. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and RotoWire. The average NERD Game Score for today is 6.3.
Note: the following table is entirely sortable.
| Away | SP | Tm. | Gm. | Tm. | SP | Home | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Manship* | COL | 5 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 4 | NYN | Dillon Gee | 12:10 |
| Jose Fernandez | MIA | 10 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 9 | PIT | Gerrit Cole | 12:35 |
| Jeff Samardzija | CHN | 8 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 7 | PHI | Ethan Martin* | 13:05 |
| Donovan Hand | MIL | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 8 | SF | Tim Lincecum | 15:45 |
| Max Scherzer | DET | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 3 | CLE | Zach McAllister | 19:05 |
| Jon Lester | BOS | 5 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 3 | KC | Bruce Chen | 20:10 |
| Hyun-Jin Ryu | LAN | 6 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 12 | STL | Carl. Martinez* | 20:15 |
To learn how Pitcher and Team NERD Scores are calculated, click here.
To learn how Game NERD Scores are calculated, click here.
* = Fewer than 20 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
First Fausto Carmona becomes Roberto Hernandez, and now Carlos Matias becomes Carlos Martinez.
What next, Rubby de la Rosa becomes Henry Rodriguez???
People Who Commented on Yesterday’s Daily Notes
Cool Name Power Rankings
25. danwatson19
24. Nick
23. Gregg
22. Scotty
21. Jaker
20. LordJim
19. stich09
18. gudes10
17. chri521
16. Dave S (the original)
15. Matthew Kirkeby
14. Fastpiece [but see below]
13. Resolution
12. Baroque6
11. El Rey
10. Sizzle
9. Reddickulous
8. MOFONGO
7. Fastpiece [if a deliberate reference to Cistulli’s mannerism of ending every breaking pitch type with “piece”]
6. Alexander Nevermind
5. Professor Ross Eforp
4. The Humber Games
3. The Party Bird
2. eddiegaedel
1. Motley Yu
WBE – obviously you’ve recused yourself from the list. I’d put your rank in the high single digits, maybe #4 or #5 if indeed you also have a beard (bonus points for onomatopoetic effect)
I did not reply to yesterday’s thread, so I came by my list-absence honestly. ‘Tis a good username but it would be biased to rank myself.
And, sadly, I shaved this morning.
Can this become a regular feature, Well-Beered?
If popular demand – and a sudden spate of everyone changing their usernames to increasingly awesome things – calls for it!
So if there’s popular demand, but generic names, you won’t make this a regular feature?
I mean, I’d argue that Jaker belongs ahead of chri521, but I won’t have the option to debate that if you only run this on days with a numerous quantity of exceptionally interesting names?
I mean, does Carson not run Nerd scores on days with a preponderance of depressing pitchers?
1. I was intrigued by the implication that chri521’s real name is Chri, not Chris.
2. Carson is paid.
Maybe this could be a rotating feature. Brazen King of the Hirohito Byelorussian Readers may be interested in adjudicating part-time, and I’m sure others will step forward.
Steve Holt!! \o/ …. would be happy to assist, being a regular reader and all.
Take THAT danwatson19!
No shame in losing to Motley Yu
You’re only a short distance behind, Eddie.
If I’d known there was a leaderboard, I would have posted something sober about some society.
“Who’s piloting that Manship?” she asked him, knowingly.
Glad to see Dear Author regularly incorporating Sickel’s rankings; salt of the earth is Mr. Sickels, salt of the earth.
Los Angeles Nationals?
Yes, Los Angeles of the National League, as opposed to the Los Angeles team of the American League. See also: Chicago and New York clubs.
Yet another anonymous kid touching triple digits with his heater.
His name is in the title of the article. And then appears approximately 15 more times.
Whoa Carlos Martinez gets a 12 while Salazar got 11. I am disappointed.
To be fair, this is Martinez’s first start, while Salazar had previously started against the Blue Jays. Many young pitchers first career starts are given the glorified 12.
Just saying
With a NERD score of 12, what could possibly go wrong?
You should know better than anyone what can go wrong, Carlos Danger.
Is it circular logic to say that Salazar was impressive in striking out the game’s best hitter three times while also saying that Cabrera was impressive for homering off a guy with a 100mph fastball and a killer forkball?
Looks like it’s the day of the rookie pitchers: Fernandez, Martinez, Cole, Martin. Anyone wanna give me 3 to 1 on Martinez doing the best?
August 9, 2013 at 12:05 am