Blue Jays: Thanks for the memories Russell Martin

The Toronto Blue Jays dealt away their veteran catcher in a move that on paper makes sense, however, Russell Martin was worth every penny and provided a plethora of memories for baseball fans north of the border.

Former Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos will always hold a special place in my heart for his free agent signing on the 18th of November, 2014. The man affectionately known as the “Silent Assasin” dipped into the free agent pool to land Canadian catcher Russell Martin inking the backstop to a 5 year/ $82 million dollar pact.

Russell Martin would be the first to admit he struggled offensively last season while at times it appeared Father Time and the tools of ignorance may be catching up to the 35-year old. However, during his tenure in Toronto, Martin instilled a winning culture and had the postseason resume to back it.

Le Muscle hit .225/.336/.399 with 66 homers and 223 bases on balls in 447 games with Toronto. Martin was a 7.6 WAR player during his tenure with the Blue Jays while playing a multitude of positions around the diamond.

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The veteran catcher guided the Jays pitching staff through two postseason runs while providing daily intangibles that were not always captured on the nightly boxscore. He did whatever his manager asked of him including stepping out from behind the plate to cover the infield when needed.

He was tough as nails and would constantly stick up for his teammates on and off the field. Russell Martin is the one player you want by your side when you’re going into battle. The Blue Jays success was a direct result of what Martin brought to the field day in and day out.

The leadership he exemplified, the pitch framing, the timely hitting, his pursuit of foul balls with reckless abandon, the homer he hit versus the Yankees in 2015 are all things I will fondly remember for years to come.

He is an absolute beauty, a baseball gem and I am proud to have witnessed Martin on his home soil for the past four seasons. In closing, thanks for the memories Russell and best of luck in Los Angeles.