amag
02-25-2002, 04:40 PM
From MLB.com...
2/20/2002 6:30 pm ET
Tino brings winning ways to Cardinals
By Tom Singer
MLB.com
JUPITER, Fla. -- Tino Martinez smiled sheepishly, in anticipation of the obvious question.
"So, how challenging will it be to try on a new league?" Many established players, especially power hitters, have been known to vanish upon switching leagues.
But it doesn't work that way any more.
"With Interleague Play, World Series and Spring Training, I've seen so many National League teams over the years," Martinez said. "I've faced a lot of the pitchers."
Martinez could've also cited player movement as another factor in the meshing of the two leagues. Decades ago, when the reserve clause restricted player movement, there were distinct differences between the American and National Leagues.
The lines of separation were essentially erased by free agency -- the route by which Martinez found a St. Louis uniform following his 12 seasons headlining in the AL.
"It'll still be a bit of a challenge," he said, a few minutes after walking off the fields following the Cardinals' first full-squad workout of the spring. "The parks will be mostly new.
"But I'm excited about the chance to win again, and to play for a great organization."
The Cardinals are excited to have someone with Martinez's resume. They look upon him as someone who can lead them over the top. They hope he is contagious.
He occupies a place of honor in the Redbirds' spacious clubhouse, in the corner, which allows him to be the only one in there with two lockers at his disposal. Perhaps the clubhouse guy figured he'd need one just to store his World Series rings.
Martinez was a major component of the New York Yankees' mini-dynasty. His four World Series titles and five Fall Classic appearances coincided with his six-season tenure in Yankee Stadium following the six in Seattle.
Oh, and the Mariners had won their first division title with Martinez as the first baseman in 1995.
That will be a tough track record to live up to.
"But I know I have to produce, and to put up big numbers," said Martinez, who apparently doesn't shirk from being a leader, even in a new room. "On paper, this is a great team. We definitely have a chance to win. It's a great mix of some veterans around to help the young guys."
Turned away by the Yankees' turnover, Martinez turned up here to soften the loss of St. Louis' baseball icon, Mark McGwire.
Center fielder Jim Edmonds, who occupies the adjacent locker, knows the revolving door could not have been kinder to his club.
"He's a proven winner," Edmonds said of Martinez. "You couldn't ask for a better situation. I don't know what his experience means to us, though -- you lead through your actions. You see how guys get ready for a game, see how they prepare. So we'll be watching him do his thing."
Conspiracy theorists could have had a field day with this one: On Nov. 11, McGwire makes his retirement official, in his statement even alluding to clearing way for a "premium free agent" to come in and help the Cards. Five weeks later, here comes Martinez -- whose end with the Yankees had been long anticipated.
But it didn't go down like that.
"Martinez was on the list, but so where two, three other guys," said Cards manager Tony La Russa. "Mark even talked to Jason about coming here."
That, of course, is Jason Giambi who, despite his tight friendship with McGwire, instead replaced Martinez in New York.
Five days later, and for $93 million fewer than Giambi's Yankees deal, Martinez signed with St. Louis.
"I thought we could do one big signing, and I thought Izzy would be it," said La Russa, referring to closer Jason Isringhausen's signing during the first week of December. "But then we got Tino, and that was huge for us."
"Though I didn't know for sure about how it would go in New York, I had a pretty good idea. So I had a chance to plan where I wanted to play, and this was at the top of my list," Martinez said.
For sure, he didn't shy away from having to replace a strong personality like McGwire. Martinez had been there, and done that. When he joined the Yankees in 1996, he stepped into Don Mattingly's shoes.
"That was pretty much the same situation," he conceded. "The Yankees had just lost in the playoffs (to Martinez's Mariners), and they had a good core of players. They were ready to take the next step."
With Martinez, they did. It's possible that he's not even a natural-born leader, just a lethal hitter. Five times, he has hit 28 or more homers. He has driven in more than 100 runs in six of the last seven seasons.
And at 34, there is no reason to expect the production to dry up.
So does success follow Martinez around? Or does he make it happen? Nobody here cares, as long as they again go hand-in-hand.
2/20/2002 6:30 pm ET
Tino brings winning ways to Cardinals
By Tom Singer
MLB.com
JUPITER, Fla. -- Tino Martinez smiled sheepishly, in anticipation of the obvious question.
"So, how challenging will it be to try on a new league?" Many established players, especially power hitters, have been known to vanish upon switching leagues.
But it doesn't work that way any more.
"With Interleague Play, World Series and Spring Training, I've seen so many National League teams over the years," Martinez said. "I've faced a lot of the pitchers."
Martinez could've also cited player movement as another factor in the meshing of the two leagues. Decades ago, when the reserve clause restricted player movement, there were distinct differences between the American and National Leagues.
The lines of separation were essentially erased by free agency -- the route by which Martinez found a St. Louis uniform following his 12 seasons headlining in the AL.
"It'll still be a bit of a challenge," he said, a few minutes after walking off the fields following the Cardinals' first full-squad workout of the spring. "The parks will be mostly new.
"But I'm excited about the chance to win again, and to play for a great organization."
The Cardinals are excited to have someone with Martinez's resume. They look upon him as someone who can lead them over the top. They hope he is contagious.
He occupies a place of honor in the Redbirds' spacious clubhouse, in the corner, which allows him to be the only one in there with two lockers at his disposal. Perhaps the clubhouse guy figured he'd need one just to store his World Series rings.
Martinez was a major component of the New York Yankees' mini-dynasty. His four World Series titles and five Fall Classic appearances coincided with his six-season tenure in Yankee Stadium following the six in Seattle.
Oh, and the Mariners had won their first division title with Martinez as the first baseman in 1995.
That will be a tough track record to live up to.
"But I know I have to produce, and to put up big numbers," said Martinez, who apparently doesn't shirk from being a leader, even in a new room. "On paper, this is a great team. We definitely have a chance to win. It's a great mix of some veterans around to help the young guys."
Turned away by the Yankees' turnover, Martinez turned up here to soften the loss of St. Louis' baseball icon, Mark McGwire.
Center fielder Jim Edmonds, who occupies the adjacent locker, knows the revolving door could not have been kinder to his club.
"He's a proven winner," Edmonds said of Martinez. "You couldn't ask for a better situation. I don't know what his experience means to us, though -- you lead through your actions. You see how guys get ready for a game, see how they prepare. So we'll be watching him do his thing."
Conspiracy theorists could have had a field day with this one: On Nov. 11, McGwire makes his retirement official, in his statement even alluding to clearing way for a "premium free agent" to come in and help the Cards. Five weeks later, here comes Martinez -- whose end with the Yankees had been long anticipated.
But it didn't go down like that.
"Martinez was on the list, but so where two, three other guys," said Cards manager Tony La Russa. "Mark even talked to Jason about coming here."
That, of course, is Jason Giambi who, despite his tight friendship with McGwire, instead replaced Martinez in New York.
Five days later, and for $93 million fewer than Giambi's Yankees deal, Martinez signed with St. Louis.
"I thought we could do one big signing, and I thought Izzy would be it," said La Russa, referring to closer Jason Isringhausen's signing during the first week of December. "But then we got Tino, and that was huge for us."
"Though I didn't know for sure about how it would go in New York, I had a pretty good idea. So I had a chance to plan where I wanted to play, and this was at the top of my list," Martinez said.
For sure, he didn't shy away from having to replace a strong personality like McGwire. Martinez had been there, and done that. When he joined the Yankees in 1996, he stepped into Don Mattingly's shoes.
"That was pretty much the same situation," he conceded. "The Yankees had just lost in the playoffs (to Martinez's Mariners), and they had a good core of players. They were ready to take the next step."
With Martinez, they did. It's possible that he's not even a natural-born leader, just a lethal hitter. Five times, he has hit 28 or more homers. He has driven in more than 100 runs in six of the last seven seasons.
And at 34, there is no reason to expect the production to dry up.
So does success follow Martinez around? Or does he make it happen? Nobody here cares, as long as they again go hand-in-hand.