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Martin! In conjunction with this and Nelson Cruz going on the disabled list, my favoritest thing in the world is happening:
Leonys Martin is coming to the Majors!
Martin, 23, signed earlier this season after defecting from Cuba. He started at Double A Frisco and tore things up (.348/.435/.571). He's since been promoted to Triple A Round Rock where he's slowed down some (.263/.316/.314).
What he does bring you is fantastic defense (an athletic centerfielder with an electric arm) and speed (19 steals). He's also probably your starting centerfielder next season.
Martin is a lefty, however. That leaves you with three lefty outfielders off the bench (Endy Chavez, David Murphy). Playing time is going to come down to Ron Washington. But I suspect fans will be very impressed.
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What will help clear up things with injuries is the return of Adrian Beltre. He started a rehab stint in Round Rock going 1-4 through seven innings.
With Beltre coming back this weekend, probably, that will move Mike Young to either DH or first base and potentially allow the Rangers to put Mitch Moreland in right field if you need Mike Napoli and Yorvit Torrealba in the line-up. Lefty-heavy line-ups could have Nap at catcher, Martin, Moreland and Josh Hamilton in the outfield and Young at first.
Who knows or who cares? Nobody. Still, Beltre coming back is so huge and gigantic that it's not even really funny.
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In 2008, the Texas Rangers made a very shrewd deal with the Minnsota Twins swapping veteran reliever Eddie Guardado for so-so pitching prospect with the very enticing name Mark Hamburger.
Hamburger's stuck. He was never a major prospect or anything and his value as a Major League guy was minimal and only as a reliever.
By all accounts, Hamburger will get the call sooner than later coming up, I guess, in September unless a roster move is coming.
Hamburger's been at Double A and Triple A all season. In his last four appearances, he's started. Although his season stats (3.39 ERA, 70 Ks, 82 IP) are not overly impressive, he's posted 0.99 ERA with 20 Ks and five walks in his last 10 appearances.
He's apparently been working on some secondary pitches. He's a big mother (6-4, 195) and has a mid-90s fastball.
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With Nellie Cruz injured and out for three weeks, attention turned to the waiver wire.
Lance Berkman was passed through waivers without claim by the St. Louis Cardinals. Berkman is due like $1 million for the rest of the year and is a free agent. Being a Type A, he'd get you a couple of extra draft picks.
However, the Cardinals have no real need to trade him because he is cheap and they would get the picks if he left (which he probably won't). Anyway, Berkman would cost you if you're the Rangers. I think you start with Leonys Martin and work your way down.
My other question is where Berkman goes when everyone's healthy? Does this leave Mitch Moreland on the bench? It certainly handcuffs you with the catching situation and getting Mike Young in the line-up.
I just don't want this line-up to be a mixed bag depending on who is pitching. There needs to be consistency and roles.
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