After losing out on Cliff Lee, the New York Yankees have immediately set their sights elsewhere, as they've reportedly signed catcher Russell Martin to a deal. MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez reports:
Russell Martin, Yankees Reportedly Agree To Deal
The #Yankees, multiple sources say, have agreed to terms with Russell Martin. May become official later today.
Martin isn't the high-profile prize that Lee would have been, but the Yankees' long-time solution at catcher, Jorge Posada, will turn 40 in 2011 and has fallen prey to multiple injuries over recent years. Martin, who has spent his entire career with the Dodgers, suffered the first major injury of his career in 2010 and missed over a third of the season.
Martin’s offensive numbers have declined somewhat -- after hitting 19 home runs and posting an .843 OPS in his second season, he’s failed to match those numbers since. However, he still hits well for a catcher, he’s demonstrated some speed on the base paths, and in 2010 he threw out 39% of all would-be base runners.
Details have not emerged regarding the specifics of the reported deal. When they’re made available, we’ll update this StoryStream. For more on Martin and the Yankees, check in with our Yankees blog, Pinstripe Alley. And for a perspective from Martin’s former team, check out our Dodgers blog, True Blue LA.
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