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Last year was a very good year for Carlos Martinez. He was an All-Star, as fans rallied behind him in support of his cause. He pitched the most innings of his career at 179 2/3, with a 3.01 ERA (132 ERA+) and 14 wins. It was even more than what fans had hoped for, really, especially after the sudden and tragic passing of his long-time friend and teammate, Oscar Taveras.
El Gallo's 2015 season was cut short due to fatigue and a shoulder injury, but that has done nothing to slow down the excitement for his 2016. Just take a look at the VEB's own projections:
Needless to say, we love Carlos Martinez. (So much that I have dedicated my Thursday posts to him.)
It's all about pitching health with Martinez. He's already displayed an aptitude for making adjustments and finding new ways to deal with hitters. He's an intense competitor that's already well ahead of the curve in developing into a complete pitcher... Will Martinez hit the so-called wall again when he goes beyond, say, 150 innings pitched? Or will "El Gallo" be safer as he matures physically? The risk factors seem high, but these are compelling questions that can't be answered now. But Carlos Martinez is a very special talent that has a chance to put together a very special career.
All I have to say is ¡Viva el Gallo!
2016 Cardinals Preview: Carlos Martinez, a Very Special Talent | 101Sports.com
what else is going on in baseball...
- MLB 2016 Season Preview | SB Nation
- MLB's longest Opening Day streaks by position | MLB.com
- Top MLB prospects to watch in 2016 | MLB.com
- 2016 MLB Preview 30 Statcast Stats On 30 Teams | MLB.com
- Muni Kawasaki hit a HR, flipped his bat and got the silent treatment while fans chanted his name | MLB.com
- Building a Record-Breaking Strikeout Rotation | FanGraphs Baseball
- Jose Reyes' domestic violence charge to be dropped, per report | Purple Row
- WATCH: This is how you pull off the very rare fake bunt home run | CBSSports.com (Thanks to Mark of OKC for this link!)
what the cardinals are up to...
- Evaluating the 2016 Prospects: St. Louis Cardinals | FanGraphs Baseball
- Space in bullpen opens for Bowman as Walden's shoulder ails him | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com
- The Key to the Cardinals' Offense in 2016: Their Outfielders | 101Sports.com
- Hochman: Freese looks back with Cards, ahead with Pirates | Benjamin Hochman | stltoday.com
KNOW THINE ENEMY...
the nl central
- Previewing the National League Central in 2016 | MLB.com
- 30 Clubs in 30 Days (Pirates) - MLB Network | MLB.com
- Hochman: Freese looks back with Cards, ahead with Pirates | Benjamin Hochman | stltoday.com
- Making Too Much of Too Little Jason Heyward | FanGraphs Baseball
- Every last scrap of Cubs magic this year was just wasted on a Jon Lester spring home run | SBNation.com
- Colin Walsh: Brewers’ Rule-5 Stanford Success Story | FanGraphs Baseball