When the Dodgers signed star DH J.D. Martinez this offseason, it was with the concept that a change of surroundings would assist reinvigorate the five-time All-Star and hopefully flip just a few extra of them doubles (43 in 2022) into residence runs (16 in 2022) this coming season.
Plus J.D. could be reuniting together with his previous hitting coach Robert Von Scoyoc in Los Angeles, the primary man credited with resurrecting the one-time struggling outfielder’s career a decade in the past.
So there’s a purpose for Dodgers followers to be excited in regards to the addition of Martinez to the lineup. One other man with Dodgers and Crimson Sox connections not too long ago spoke with DodgersNation.com about JD, broadcaster Tim Neverett. Tim was a play-by-play man with Boston through the membership’s 2018 World Collection run. JD put collectively a profession 12 months that season with the Sox, posting a 1.031 OPS whereas hitting 43 residence runs with 130 runs batted in over 150 video games.
So Neverett is type of an professional on when Martinez goes proper. That is what he instructed our Doug McKain not too long ago.
“Right here’s what I like about J.D., and this can be your inform when he’s going nicely. When he drives the ball to proper middle discipline, he’s obtained his swing on. He likes to, what he calls, ‘compress his swing’ so it’s gotta be type of a good swing. He generally is a actual worth driving in runs. He’s going to have a slugging proportion particularly in opposition to lefties — he crushes lefties and I assume he’s going to be an amazing addition. … If he’s beginning to hit these hole doubles to proper middle, he’s seeing the ball nicely.”
Martinez hasn’t gotten off the perfect of begins with the Dodgers this spring, going 5 for his first 29 (.172) together with his new membership. He told SportsNet LA over the weekend that he’s engaged on getting his timing and admitted he’s often a sluggish starter within the spring. He didn’t appear involved in any respect about his numbers at this level and that provides hope that followers shouldn’t both.
