It’s not like we’re expecting Mike Baxter, Nick Evans, or Scott Hairston to be the solution in right field, so why not bring up our oft-injured forgotten prospect Fernando Martinez? He’s back from his latest injury, is already on the 40-man roster, and has already had his option burned for this year. He’s 11/36 with 2 walks, 1 HR and 5 doubles since returning to Buffalo.
I had wondered if he may be out of options. The rule is a little confusing, but it seems to state that a player is on optional assignment in any year that he is on the 40 man roster but spends 20 or more days in the minors. This would apply to 2011,2010, and 2009 for Martinez. A player may be optioned a fourth season if he has less than five years of professional experience. Martinez first year of pro ball was in 2006 at 17 with three different Mets minor league teams, which would give him six years of experience, so it seems like he cannot be optioned next year. A little digging seems to find an interview with Paul DePodesta saying he does have another option for next year, so it’s probably not D-Day for him yet. It looks like him being injured in the majors in 2009 prevented it from counting as an option year. If you’re curious about which players do and do not have options, there appears to be a handy little list right here by tpgmets.
Still, it’s growing close and 2012 will be the last season you can easily bring him up and down. Obviously the biggest concern is injuries keeping him from getting full seasons of plate appearances in the minors. He’s never played 100 games in a season, although if he doesn’t have another injury this season he will. He can prove he’s healthy just as easily in the majors as in the minors, and it seems like giving him the opportunity to prove he’s ready is pretty much win-win for the Mets.
Trading him is certainly an option too, but he’s had DL stints this year and hasn’t exactly destroyed AAA although his .766 OPS isn’t bad either. You’d basically be trading low, given his history, unless he shows you something through the rest of the season. The best way for that to happen is for him to show it at the major league level where it has the most clout. If he can hit major league pitching over the next six weeks in the majors, it only increases his value and the options Alderson will have regarding him.
As the Mets injuries pile up and they continue to prove they’re not going to make a significant break with .500 and legitimately chase the Braves, it seems like it’s in everyone’s best interest to promote Fernando Martinez to the big club. At this point I’d suggest just releasing Willie Harris, who isn’t very good and isn’t part of a solution.
For whatever reason, they’ve been reluctant to release Harris. Might be more inclined now as we’re mid way through August.
Otherwise, the only one I can see them sending down for FMart would be Baxter.
I suppose you could swap out Evans but isn’t he the only other one who can play first besides Duda? And Duda isn’t going anywhere for that reason as well.
Thanks for the shoutout, Ceetar.
Fernando Martinez’s situation is indeed complicated. To be on optional assignment, one must be on the 40-man roster and NOT on the active roster or Major League disabled list. From Opening Day 2009 to May 25th of that year, Martinez was in the minors, but not on the 40-man roster (and therefore, NOT on optional assignment). From May 26-June 18, he was on the ML Active roster. From June 19-21, he was on optional assignment. From June 22-July 3 he was on the ML Active roster. From July 4-September 24 he was on the 15-day DL. And from September 25 to the end of the season, he was on the 60-day DL. So in 2009, the only time Fernando Martinez spent on optional assignment was June 19-21, which is less than the 20 days necessary for it to count as an option year. As such, 2010 was his first option year & 2011 is his second.
His 4th option eligibility is even more complicated. In order to be eligible for a 4th option year, a player must have exhausted his options AND have played fewer than 5 pro seasons. A pro season only counts if a player spends 90+ total days on the active rosters of Major and/or minor league clubs. Several of Fernando’s seasons teeter right on the brink of the 90 day threshold, and with such unreliable minor league transaction data, especially in the early years, it’s going to be hard to predict. My gut tells me no, that he will not be eligible for a 4th option year, making 2012 his last option year, and the end of Spring Training 2013 the point at which he either has to make the club for good or face waivers.