Memories of JD Martinez

[MFS62]

He signed with the Tigers for 2025.



How do you remember him?



Later

[Frayed Knot]

Odd that he signs much quicker this year than he did last winter considering the rough end to his '24 season.

I'm sure it's for considerably less money.





Memories as a NYM:

- signed late, then got off to a slow start due to injuries and a rushed spring training

- then had a terrific middle third or so of the season where he was a big key in the June-July resurgence that put them back in the thick of things

- then, just when you got to thinking that his cerebral approach and meticulous preparation would make his the kind of guy immune to long slumps,

he hit a long slump and quickly devolved into a non-factor during the September/October sleigh ride

[Benjamin Grimm]

http://leaptoad.com/mets/cards/JDMartinez1978.jpg>



Schaefer Mets Player of the Month, June 2024.



I remember that he hit his first-ever walkoff homer this year. In the post-game on-field interview with Steve Gelbs he said he didn't even know what to do next.

[metirish]

Nicely summed up, my abiding memory of him is Keith absolutely loving him, he could do no wrong

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Yeah, garnered a lot of praise for how much leadership he brought to the team, out of proportion finally to his actual contributions which were good for while then weren't as good.



Understandable he'd wan to sign early considering how long he sat out there as an unwanted free agent last year.

[Edgy MD]

> Constant five o'clock shadow.



> Knocked Mark Vientos off of the Opening Day roster, which was either the fire that Vientos needed under his butt or a spectacular self-own by the Mets that nearly cost them their season, depending on your perspective, although was possibly somewhere in between.



> Grounded into a metric ton of double-plays.



> Seemingly the first Met in more than a generation to wear an initial initial (or pair of initials) on his back.



> Totally Trumpy, which couldn't have hurt him with Keith.

[Gwreck]

I don't expect him back…but I also can't find any news indicating he signed with the Tigers?

[MFS62]

Haven't found anything more since i first saw the news this morning.

May have been speculative click bait.

Save those memories and stay tuned.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: > Knocked Mark Vientos off of the Opening Day roster, ...

Well, no, because JDM wasn't on the opening day roster either. He started in extended ST and didn't appear in an ML game until the tail end of April (26th).

Vientos made his season debut the very next day but only for three games until he was called up for good three weeks later (5/15).





Martinez was far behind the big three of everyday players [Alonso, Lindor, Nimmo] in PAs for the season but did wind up fourth on the club (495)

just slightly ahead of McNeill (472 - the late injury did him in), Vientos (454 - those missing three weeks), Bader (437 - never really a full time gig).

[Edgy MD]

Well, you got me there. He reportedly took away the role of Vientos, but the absence from the roster was, indeed, in addition to losing that role, rather than a matter of cause and effect.



My apologies for the misinformation.

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: My apologies for the misinformation.

Well put.

Me, too.

This looks like click bait.

Sorry, folks.

Later

[Edgy MD]

https://i.imgflip.com/9cqado.jpg>

[Fman99]

Sucked -> Didn't Sucked -> Sucked



Sunrise, sunset

[Cowtipper]

Bad.



Not worth the money.



Dogged it for 90% of the season.



Just wanted an easy paycheck.



No good memories.



The only cool thing was we got to have a big name like J.D. Martinez on our team for a season.

[Fman99]

He did win a game with a walk off HR, which I remember only because it was his first ever career walk off HR amongst his 300+ career dingers.