Dodgers: Russell Martin Talks About Joining Team Canada’s Coaching Staff for WBC

Workforce Canada within the World Baseball Traditional is being managed by Ernie Whitt, who isn’t technically Canadian however earned honorary standing by advantage of spending a dozen years catching for the Blue Jays. Whitt is a member of the Ontario Sports activities Corridor of Fame and the Canadian Baseball Corridor of Fame, and he’s managed Canada within the WBC, the Olympics, the Pan-Am Video games, and different tournaments.

On Whitt’s workers for this yr’s WBC might be one other former Blue Jays catcher, one who didn’t spend practically as a lot time taking part in in Toronto however has the benefit of really being Canadian. Russell Martin, who played with the Dodgers from 2006-10 and once more in 2019, spent 2015-18 with the Blue Jays, is part of Whitt’s workers particularly to mentor younger catcher Bo Naylor.

For Martin, it’s his first actual foray into teaching, and he’s excited in regards to the new problem, according to the Toronto Star.

“It’s like I’m throwing myself into being a rookie once more,” stated Martin, the 14-year main leaguer who helped information the Jays to the post-season in 2015 and ’16. “I’ll be doing one thing that I’ve by no means actually accomplished, however I get to share just a little little bit of the data that I’ve acquired and assist out the longer term. And I get to placed on a uniform; haven’t accomplished that shortly.”

Mentoring Naylor, who will flip 23 subsequent month, is one thing Martin feels geared up to do.

“Sport planning,” stated Martin. “(I can) assist out with, ‘How can we get this man out?’ or ‘We’re not going to tackle this man.’ If the catcher has questions on recreation technique, or perhaps a few completely different methods receiving-wise, no matter I will help out with, I wish to assist out with.”

Martin got here again to the Dodgers in a trade from the Blue Jays in 2019, filling the hole because the part-time catcher till Will Smith was ready. His expertise mentoring Smith, who was simply 24 on the time, will undoubtedly assist Martin with Naylor.

Workforce Canada is in Pool C of the WBC with the US, Mexico, Colombia, and Nice Britain, kicking off in Phoenix on March 12.

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