When looking at Martin’s stats, it’s easy to just say he had a terrible season. However, if you watched some of the games he played and looked closer at the numbers, you have a player that could be unlucky or a player that just had a bad season.

Martin’s line: 50 R, 25 HR, 53 RBI, .211 AVG
BABIP: .222
BB %: 10.9 %
K %: 19.6 %

One would think that playing in such a favorable home ballpark and for a great team helps Martin. Overall, Martin still finished as a top-20 catcher in fantasy baseball.

1. Buster Posey
2. Joe Mauer
3. Yadier Molina
4. A.J. Pierzynski
5. Wilin Rosario
6. Carlos Ruiz
7. Miguel Montero
8. Matt Wieters
9. Carlos Santana
10. Ryan Doumit
11. Jonathan Lucroy
12. Mike Napoli
13. Jarrod Saltalamacchia
14. Brian McCann
15. Jesus Montero
16. John Jaso
17. A.J. Ellis
18. J.P. Arencibia
19. Russell Martin 
20. Salvador Perez

Martin also finished eighth in home runs by catchers, he has power and hitter friendly Yankee stadium will only help him as he tried to bounce back in 2013. Martin knows the pitching staff well and the Yankees are supporting him despite his 2012 numbers. There’s nobody that is a threat to his playing time in the Yankees lineup as his defense behind the plate is phenomenal, as evidenced by his .994 fielding percentage.

Something else to keep in mind with Martin is that he had 39 extra base hits, which is good enough for twelfth among catchers. He’s also a player that could join a new team if the Yankees decide not to tender an offer and several teams would be interested in the veterans’ services.

Looking further into Martin’s BABIP, here’s his BABIP on all balls he has hit from 2009-2012.

2009: line drives- .683, ground balls- .241, fly balls- 0.97
2010: line drives- .768, ground balls- .182, fly balls- .122
2011: line drives- .649, ground balls- .202, fly balls- .110
2012: line drives- .644, ground balls- .152, fly balls- 0.77

It's complicated, but what I can tell you is that Martin is either on a sharp decline or just extremely unlucky. I have a hard time believing that he’s declining; he’s only 29 years old as we speak. Sometimes players just have inexplicable years, just like Adam Dunn’s confusing performance in 2011.

Now we realize that it was completely out of the ordinary for Dunn, who slugged 41 home runs and drove in 96 for the Chicago White Sox in 2012. 
Martin still has time to show the Yankees he can be the everyday catcher in 2013 and beyond, he did hit the game winning home run in game one of the American League Division Series against the Orioles.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi had some very kind words regarding Martin.

“I think Russell is a clutch player,” Girardi said. “I think he’s always been a clutch player and I think he’s always relished the moment, and he’s very talented and very skilled, and its shown up, especially in the last month of the season in some of the walk-off homers he’s had for us.”

Girardi continued on to say, “He has continued to impress us and played very well down the stretch.”

Sounds to me like Martin isn’t going anywhere and the Yankees are very happy with him as their catcher; he may be a nice buy low candidate going into 2013.

Mac can be found on the forums as dmvincent, and you can also follow him on Twitter @MacVincent1.

More from Mac:

• Finishing strong
• Prospects pushing the envelope

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