Russell Martin: Future Pittsburgh Pirates Shortstop…If Needed

The World Baseball Classic is coming up and Russell Martin is fired up to play for Team Canada.   If you check out the article, newly signed Buccos catcher Russell Martin said he will be ready to play, hold onto your shit here….shortstop.

Yeh, shortstop.

We heard about this before Martin signed with the Bucs, but we didn’t really read much into it.

So Martin says he will play short or whatever position Oh, Canada will need to win.  You think he’s kidding?

"The recently signed Pittsburgh Pirate says he’ll even add fielding grounders to his winter training program in case Canada manager Ernie Whitt opts to use him in the infield."

And then the bombshell

"He’d even consider playing shortstop in the unlikely case that the Pirates ever ask him to switch positions.“I don’t want to do something that’s not going to help the team, whether it’s Pittsburgh or Team Canada,” Martin told reporters Wednesday on a conference call. “I know I have the ability to play shortstop. I haven’t played there in a long time. I know the speed of the game is going to be higher than when I last played (in high school and college). But right now, if it means I can help the team by playing shortstop for Canada then I’ll do that."

All of this comes from the fact that Canada doesn’t have a major league shortstop.  The catching position could be manned by George Kottaras of the Oakland A’s.

He took the call from his vacation in Barcelona, so maybe he was having a good time.  Somehow, we think he’s serious.

It’s pretty awesome to think a catcher would have this much confidence in their athletic ability, but….yeh, pretty awesome.

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