Russell Martin of the LA Dodgers
Ranked #2,332 in Sports & Recreation, #71,194 overall
Our (Former) Favorite Martin: #55
[March 2011] What happened to Russell Martin? Tim Brown of Yahoo Sport has a spot-on analysis of Russell Martin's downhill slide with the Dodgers. I hope he can get himself back together with the Yankees. It's too painful to recount the last year or so of watching a favorite player go south, so I'll let Brown's article speak for me.
I'll leave the rest of this page up as a record of Russell Martin's early baseball career and of a Dodger fan's dashed hopes. :(
P.S. I've started a new fan page on Dodger rookie Dee Gordon. Hope I don't jinx the kid!
Welcome to the oldest Russell Martin fan page on the web! Here you'll find Russell Martin video highlights, interviews, news, stats, pictures and info. There's tons of info about LAD #55 you won't find anywhere else!
Warm-up time! Check out this Russell Martin Video with highlights and profile! (ASG '08)
Note: This fansite was originally started in June 2007 to explain why young Russell Martin deserved to be voted into the All-Star Game. This page was getting too long, so I've moved most of the news, info, stats, etc of his breakout '07 season to a separate page: Russell Martin 2007 All-Star, which includes his '06 rookie season.
Russell Martin at a GlanceFull Name: Russell Nathan Jeanson Coltrane Martin Jr
LA Dodgers Catcher #55
Major League Debut: 5-5-06
Silver Slugger, NL Catcher 2007
Starting catcher, 2007 ASG
2007 Roy Campanella Award
2007 Dodgers "Heart & Hustle" AwardBirthdate: February 15, 1983
In-Depth Bio: Russell Martin on MLB.com
Gold Glove, NL Catcher 2007
Player's choice starting Catcher, 2008 ASG
Nominated 2007 Hank Aaron Award
2007 Tip O'Neal Award (Canada)
Photo Credits: Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Malingering on Flickr, via a Creative Commons license. Thank you!
Russell Martin Jerseys and T-Shirts
Russell Martin Frequently Asked Questions
What You Really Want to Know About Russell Martin
Russell Martin Fantasy Baseball Stats and News:
MLB Player Profile :: Rotoworld :: Yahoo :: ESPN :: FOX Sports
- Q: Where can I find great photos of Russell Martin?
A: Besides the photos on this page, you don't want to miss Russell Martin's Little League page with a college and little league photo. Also see: Jon SooHoo's Russell Martin snapshops gallery, DodgersTopBuzz's Russell Martin photos collection, and dozens of unique fan photos of Russell Martin on Flickr.
- Q: Where can I find Russell Martin video highlights?
A: Besides the many videos linked to on this page, click this link for the last 3 months of Russell Martin highlights, or this short Russell Martin bio. - Q: Why did Russell Martin's jersey say "J Martin"
in 2009?
A: Russell Martin's jersey had a J on it to honor his mother, Suzanne Jeanson. - Q: Who is Russell Martin's girlfriend?
A: In 2009 he became involved with French-Canadian model/actress Marikym Hervieux. (The gossip lines claimed Alyssa Milano was dating him in 2007, but that seems to have been rumor fueled by Alyssa Milano calling herself a fan of Rusell Martin on her blog). - Q: What's Russell Martin's walk-up song (at bat song)?
- A: See Russell Martin's at-bat songs below.
2006: Russell Martin's First Year in the Bigs
A Rookie Retrospective
May 5th, 2006. 23-year-old Russell Martin was called up from AAA Las Vegas for his major league debut to replace the LA Dodgers' catcher, Dioner Navarro, put on the DL by a wrist injury.
June 21st, 2006. 33-year-old All-Star veteran pitcher Derek Lowe was getting frustrated after too many good outings without run support. Martin jogged out to the mound to check in.
"Relax, bro," said the kid.
Lowe glared.
"I'm not leaving until you've calmed down," Martin insisted.
5/23/06: A sign of things to come
Photo Credit: Malingering on Flickr
Photo Credit: Malingering on Flickr
Russell Martin Video Highlights 2006
La Dodgers #55: The Five-Tool Catcher of Cinquo de Mayo
Photo Credit: Malingering on Flickr
- Martin's First Hit
- 5.5.06. MIL @ LAD. 2RBI double. Scully calls it.
- Martin Blocks Plate in First Game
- 5.5.06. Minor play, but a preview of things to come.
- Martin's First Home Run
- 5.7.06. MIL @ LAD. Go-ahead HR. Scully calls it.
- Martin's First Walk-off Home Run*
- 8.13.06 SF @ LAD. Fun way to finish a sweep of one's arch-rivals.
- Back-to-Back-to-Back-to-Back Home Runs*
- 9.18.06. SD @ LA. Martin's Dad came down from Montreal for this one; he's the fan in the yellow shirt.
- Russell Martin Sr. Plays Star-Spangled Banner
- 9.20.06. The father who helped pay for his son's baseball dreams playing as a subway musician in Montreal plays the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium.
Fun Russell Martin Video
The first half of this MLB video reviews the back-to-back-to-back-to-back HR game of 9.18.06.
Then the video switches gears and shows Martin demonstrating how to prepare for collisions at the plate. Random, but cool!
2007: An All-Star Is Born
Russell Martin's First Full Year in the Majors
In 2007, Russell Martin had a banner year, although at first only Dodgers fans knew about him. By the All-Star break, Martin led all NL catchers in most offensive categories and was among the top in defense (See stats comparison, June 28), eventually voted into the 2007 All-Star game as starting catcher.By the end of the season, playing 145 games -- more than any other catcher -- Martin was tired but still leading NL catchers in hits, homers, runs, stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and slugging. He won all kinds of awards from Silver Slugger to Gold Glove. In fact, he won so many awards and broke so many records that I've made a separate page for the highlights of Russell Martin's 2006-2007 seasons. Here's his final 2007 season stats:
2007 Season Stats: Leading National League Catchers
Source: Yahoo Sports: MLB Stats
2007 Season Defensive Stats: Leading National League Catchers
Source: Yahoo Sports: MLB Stats
Russell Martin Video Highlights 2007
Offense: Power and Speed
Photo Credit:
Malingering
- Martin's All-Around Night
- LA @ MIL 4/3/07. Single, RBI double, throws out runner, HR.
- Martin's Trademark Hockey Block*
- 4.6.07. LA @ SD. Giants announcers impressed.
- Martin's First Walk-off Grand Slam*
- 4.21.07 PIT @ LAD. Scully calls it.
- Martin's Wild Catch into Stands*
- 5.27.07. CHC @ LAD. Martin tumbles into stands to catch a fly. Scully calls it.
- Home Run for Home Crowd
- LAD @ TOR. To the cheers of Jays fans, Martin hits his first homer in a Canadian ballpark with family and friends watching.
- Martin Catches Ball, Spills Beer
- 7.18.07 PHI @ LAD. I was right above this play in the Top Deck. Martin was staring straight into the sun. On top of all that he had to pull up short to keep from body slamming the fan who was trying to grab the ball.
Russell Martin's At-Bat Songs
Russell Martin has changed his walk-up song each year.
'06 Kayne West's "Touch the Sky"
'07 Sammy Hagar's "I Can't Drive 55"
'08 - Wild Cherry's "Play that Funky Music" or Nas' "Nas Is Like"
'09 - "Deliverance" by Bubba Sparxxx
Russell Martin's 2008 Season
A Solid Year and Another All-Star Appearance
Going into the final week of the ASG vote, Martin was leading the Dodgers in average (.306), runs (47), walks (48) and OBP (.403), and had 9 home runs and 8 steals. So when fans failed to vote him in as starting catcher, NL players did. Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, who had faced him often, put him in for innings 4 to 14, with one vital play (below) keeping the game alive. It wasn't until Martin was out that the AL broke the tie with a close play at the plate.
(Post-game article: Martin Happy to Log 10 Innings for NL)
As for Martin's second half, he was a quietly solid producer. There were some signs of fatigue-- and frustration, at times, especially evident in the NLCS against the Phils. Nevertheless, Martin once again finished among the top catchers in the Majors offensively and defensively. (Click links for 2008 stats comparison).
MLB Video: Russell Martin's '08 Season Wrap-Up
Russell Martin Video Highlights 2008
- Third Baseman Russell Martin Goes 4 for 4
- 4.25.08. Col @ LA. 4hits, 2RBI, and Russ taking off his catcher's gear to fill in at third!
- Russ Martin throws out Taveras while playing third.
- 5.3.08 Martin playing 3base against the Rox.
- "Martin brings in another run despite being caught in pickle"
- 5.02.08. FLA @ LAD. Martin scores two while dancing around in a rundown.
- Ethier and Martin save a shutout to end game.
- 7.31.08. Great throw, great block at the plate. Always good to beat the Giants!
- Martin starts the double play to retire the side.
- 8.20.08 Martin as catcher starts double play.
Good Russell Martin Article
Russ fans, you'll want to read Russell Martin Jr. The Backstop of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, covering everything from his All-Star play to praise from teammates and opponents, Mom and Dad to being mugged at gunpoint in the minor leagues.
Russell Martin's 2009 Season
Offensive Slump, but Anchoring Pitching Staff
Unfortunately, the highlights for Russell Martin this year came mostly during the World Baseball Classic, when he played for Team Canada.While Martin's defense, preparation and scouting helped an incomplete pitching staff maintain baseball's best ERA (3.40), his offense slumped, after some initial warning signs in late '08. Manager Joe Torre and hitting coach Don Mattingly both said Martin was pressing, growing increasingly frustrated with himself, and his swing suffered. An ESPN article on Russell Martin's offensive woes and improvements as a catcher sum up his difficult 2009 season,
Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo, Dodgers
during which may fans (but not this one) lost patience with him.Sadly, most of the news about Martin this year has been speculation about where his power has gone and whether he should be traded. Martin also puzzled viewers with "J. Martin" on his jersey, honoring his mother, Suzanne Jeanson, a French-Canadian actress and singer.
Russell Martin Video Highlights '09
- CAN@USA: Martin's homer gets Canada a run closer - World Baseball Classic
- Team Canada's catcher Russell Martin connects with a solo HR in the 7th inning
- CAN@USA: Martin throws out Rollins trying to steal - World Baseball Classic
- [3.7.09] Why couldn't Russ do this in the regular season? (Well, sometimes he did.)
- Russell Martin gets a walk-off walk
- [5.2.09] Martin's offense was in a year-long slump, but he kept getting on with walks.
- Martin throws out Mark Reynolds
- [9.3.09] AZ @ LA. Defense continued to be solid behind the plate.
- Russell Martin sinks the Cubbies with a grand slam
- [8.20.09] Cubs @ LA yet another Scully-call.
Russell Martin Videos on YouTube
(And one for Sammy)
All the Latest Russell Martin News
Updated Feed From Topix
Fetching RSS feed... please stand by"My Favorite Martin" Gear on CafePress
My Favorite Martin Toddler T-Shirt
Price:
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Russell Martin Articles and Interviews
- Russell Martin Makes Splash in Major League Debut
- [5.5.06] MLB.com's wrap of his first game.
- Hitting the High Notes - Bill Plaschke, LA Times
- [6.4.06] One of Plaschke's feel-good stories with a little on Martin's upbringing.
- Interview with Russell Martin - Blue Notes Blog
- [9.27.06] Fall interview with up-and-coming rookie Russell.
- Their Favorite Martin - Yahoo Sports
- [10.6.06] Hey, I started calling him "my favorite Martin" in June 2006!
- Russ Martin one of top young catchers in game - SI
- [5.9.07] John Donovan of Sports Illustrated takes note of Russell Martin.
- Dodgers' Martin Shows He's Canadian, Eh?
- [6.20.07] Toronto Star after Martin's first press conference.
- At 24, Martin poised beyond his years - ESPN
- [6.25.07] Another article on Martin after winning his first All-star berth.
- Three Questions With Russell Martin
- [3.5.08] Brief Spring Training interview with Russ.
- Martin Happy to Log 10 Innings for NL
- [7.16.08] Post-All-Star-Game article on Russell Martin's performance.
- Martin Changes Name, Attitude for '09
- [1.29.09] Ken Gurnick of MLB.com on Martin's preparation for '09 season. Alas, it didn't help!
- Where Is Russ Martin's Power? | FanGraphs Baseball
- [8.17.09] One of a ton of "what the heck happened to Russell Martin?" articles on various fantasy baseball and stathead sites.:(
- Russell Martin Could Be Traded - Inside Dodger Baseball blog
- [11.20.09] Quoting Buster Olney, popular Dodger fan blog voices what was once unthinkable: Martin, who looked like he was going to become the face of the franchise before Manny's arrival, traded?
My Other Dodger-Related Lenses
Russell Martin Fan Mail
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No, Russ will probably never see this page, but we can still share our True Blue loyalty! Please, no spam or foul language. Remember, we gotta live up to Vin Scully's pride in us as "The Best Fans in Baseball!"
For real fan mail, you gotta use that old-fashioned method called pen, paper, stamp and envelope, addressed to:
Russell Martin
c/o Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodger Stadium
1000 Elysian Park Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012-1199
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cmcbrien Jul 18, 2011 @ 11:49 am | delete
- I like the fact that Martin is Canadian!!!
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JeremiahStanghini Feb 16, 2011 @ 3:32 pm | delete
- Good ol' Canadian boy... It's kind of depressing that he's now playing for the "Evil Empire."
With Love and Gratitude,
Jeremiah
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chloecapulet
Nov 14, 2010 @ 9:55 am | delete
- go go Russ!
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Petunia
Sep 13, 2010 @ 9:13 pm | delete
- Marikym Hervieux is no longer with Russell Martin.....
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Greekgeek
Sep 14, 2010 @ 1:16 am | delete
- Ah, thanks for the update.
I desperately need to overhaul this whole page. I don't know what I'm gonna say. He's fallen away so much from the promise of those first few years, and who knows what he'll be like next year... or even if he'll be a Dodger next year. It's sad. A lot of people want him gone now, and I just want him BACK -- the old Russ.
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