Heading into ALDS, Victor Martinez Feels at Home in Red Sox Clubhouse
The former Indians catcher was stuck in Cleveland without a lifeline in sight. Martinez did have a taste of the postseason with the team back in 2007 when the team was ousted by the Sox in the ALCS. But now that V-Mart is on the Boston side of the equation, the switch-hitting slugger is feeling both confident and excited as he heads into the ALDS with his somewhat-new teammates.
"Now, I really feel part of this, part of this run," Martinez told projo.com. "I just had two months here, with this team, and I've really been having fun, especially the great welcome that all my teammates, the coaching staff, the training staff, that they gave me."
The transition to Boston isn't easy for many players, especially for a guy like Martinez, who had spent his entire career with the Indians prior to his late-season trade to the Hub.
"I didn't really know what to expect when I got here, and they made me feel like home," he explained. "I feel like I've been playing with them for a couple years. That's made me feel more comfortable in the clubhouse, and even on the field."
One person who will be watching Martinez work his magic in his first postseason appearance with the club will be the team's captain, catcher Jason Varitek. When Martinez arrived, the 37-year-old Varitek began seeing less and less playing time — a trend that is likely to keep up in the playoffs. Although he's been a member of both World Series teams this decade, Tek isn't going to lament the bench time.
"We’re in the postseason. I don’t know what’s disappointing about being in the postseason," Varitek told WEEI. "You can’t really control playing time, but you can control the other parts where you contribute. It may not be by playing. It may be on the bench. You can’t really control those things, but it’s not the time of year to be selfish."
