January 12th, 2019 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka There is an exceptionally good chance that when you heard the news late Friday morning that the Dodgers had re-acquired soon-to-be 36-year-old (on February 15) former Dodgers catcher Russell Martin, your immediate response was something similar to “Wait… what?”
Sure enough, the Dodgers brought back the one-time fan-favorite backstop in a trade that sent minor league infielder Ronny Brito and minor league right-hander Andrew Sopko to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for the East York, Ontario, Canada native, with the Blue Jays paying $16.4 million of the $20 million owed to Martin in 2019, the final year of his five-year / $82 million contract.
“L.A. holds a special place in his heart, and he wants to win a championship,” Dodgers president of baseball operations told reporters shortly after news of the trade broke. “He talked about that multiple times. He talked about what it would mean to win a championship here.”
Martin was initially selected by the Dodgers in the 17th round of the 2002 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Chipola College in Marianna, Florida. He, along with former Dodgers outfielders Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp, all made their major league debuts within days of one another in May of 2006 and were the heart and soul of the team over the next five seasons, until Martin was signed by the New York Yankees as a free agent on December 15, 2010.
“I’m super excited for this opportunity to go back to where it all started for me,” Martin said. “I’ve always felt like there was some unfinished business when I left there so I’m definitely glad for this second opportunity.
“You know, there’s something about putting on that Dodger uniform that can bring out some magic in you,” added Martin. “Hopefully I can get some of that magic this year.”
Although the plan is for Martin to split catching duties with 29-year-old Fullerton, California native Austin Barnes in 2019 – at least initially – but both Martin and Barnes are coming off seasons that they would both rather forget.
During the 2018 season, Martin posted a lackluster .194 / .338 / .325 slash-line for a dismal .663 OPS.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that Barnes’ slash-line during the 2018 regular season was .205 / .329 / .290 / .619 and his slash-line during the 2018 postseason a horrendous .069 / .156 / .069 / .225, the absolute worst on the team.
But as he often does, Friedman quickly dismissed the poor 2018 seasons of both Martin and Barnes as the exception, not the rule.
“Last year was obviously a down year,” Friedman said. “But digging into it more, the quality of at-bat is still elite and the batted-ball part is still strong. He’s still getting into balls. Obviously, by virtue of the fact that we just acquired him, we will bet on him at the plate beyond what he did last year.
“Obviously at that position, the offensive bar is not that high and there’s obviously a lot more to a catcher having value as well,” Friedman continued. “We feel like between he and Barnesy we’ll get good offensive production and really good production behind the plate, and it will contribute to our team’s success.”
Obviously.
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From a baseball point of view, not my first choice.
From a monetary/GM point of view, hard to beat. The $16.4M that Toronto is paying exactly equals the 2019 luxury tax hit for Martin. Although the Dodgers will pay $3.6M for Martin’s services, none of it counts toward the luxury tax.
As usual, when you look at the overall situation, what’s available at what cost, prospects on the way, comeback candidate Barnes, it’s tough to argue with Friedman’s decision. I don’t particularly like it, but I can understand it.
OK, Barnsey you’ve been handed a golden opportunity, don’t blow it. OK, Ruiz and Smith grow-up already.
Like I think many other Dodger fans, I was hoping to hear or read some kind of news that the Dodgers somehow had aguirre Realmuto, but I have to say that I always liked to see one of the players that have left the team somehow returned. So let me welcome back Russell Martin.
I just want catchers who can catch balls at this point.
Early in the Hot Stove League I thought Martin was an option, but I had him going to the Dodgers along with a substantial amount of cash for Kemp. This deal is obviously much better. I believe Dodgers are still in pursuit of Realmuto, but now in a better negotiating position with a pair of ML catchers already on the roster. Rumors that Marlins wanted a ML catcher as part of the package for Realmuto — presto, Dodgers could now part with Barnes as part of a trade. BUT, I am also very comfortable with Martin and Barnes sharing the catchers position with the likelihood that Smith could be ready after mid-season and keeping Verdugo and/or Lux and/or Ruiz.
Hmmm, let’s think. Who could we bring in that has a lower batting average than Austin Barnes? Who could we bring in whose offensive production is way way behind him? Who could we bring in who will make a significant contribution to going to the 2019 World Series and winning? I know, Russell Martin!!
I know, the talk will be, well we’re just getting an interim catcher until the catching prospects mature. And the talk will also be that Russell Martin is a good defensive catcher. And while I am not currently a big Austin Barnes fan, Barnes is very good defensively (pitch framing, E’s, PB’s.) Likely better than Martin.
We needed someone who could make up for the loss of Grandahl’s bat. We needed someone who could hit!
Instead we got a worn out 36 year old anemic catcher. And we’ve just traded away our power right hand hitters. What I want to know is, what are the Dodgers doing to BETTER themselves in 2019 and win it all. So far I ain’t seen nuthin.
THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING! WAIT! Dodgers picked up a healthy SS who has averaged 5.8 WAR in 2016 and 2017. AND, they kept Kiké Hernandez and Chris Taylor who are better than Puig and Kemp. They have a healthy Urias who is significantly better than Wood, and signed a legit, late-inning relief pitcher in Joe Kelly. Dodgers are not done putting together the 2019 roster.
It is still the off season and I know ya mentioned some alternative options for obtaining a RH impact bat for middle of order, and to me that is the number 1 void to fill. 2nd base in a way can take care of itself with who already is in house.