Rising Apple has a thorough recap of Fernando Martinez's career as a New York Mets prospect. I have to say personally that I'm conflicted on this. On one hand, watching the Mets overhype Alex Ochoa and Alex Escobar, this seems par for the course. However, Martinez was supposed to be different and his maladies can't be considered his fault, a point many Met fans are not willing to concede. You can't blame this on Omar Minaya. Who would think a 16-year old will develop arthritis in his right knee by the time he's 21?
This one point reminded me how good he really is/was:
"[In 2009, the] 20 year-old began the season at Triple-A–his first taste at the level–and responded very well. The outfielder swatted an impressive .290/.337/.540 line with 8 HR, 28 RBI, 24 R, and 2 SB in 190 PA’s."
Keep in mind, he was 20 years old! If he had been an American-born player that went to college, he would have been a college sophomore at the age of 20. He's hitting .290 in Triple-A! How many college baseball players today would be able to hit .290 in Triple-A, let alone do it in their sophomore year?
I wish him well and hope the kid does great in Houston. I can't get inside his head but it's hard to imagine he's happy about how his career has turned out so far. And perhaps just knowing that he's wanted in Houston, rather than unwanted in New York, can do wonders for him that no one in the Mets organization ever could.
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