Blue (Home) Plate Special

From "Teammates tell why Martin's special" by Ken Rosenthal at FOXSports.com:

[Russell] Martin has played in 47 of the Dodgers' 52 games this season, tied with the Marlins' Miguel Olivo for the most among major-league catchers. After joining the Dodgers on May 5 of last season, he caught 117 games, second in the majors during that span to the A's Jason Kendall, who caught 118.

Dodgers outfielder Luis Gonzalez, who joined the team after leaving the Diamondbacks as a free agent last off-season, recalls playing an extra-inning game against the Dodgers last season and seeing Martin back behind the plate the next day.

"Most catchers would have taken the day off," Gonzalez says. "I remember going to the plate. I go, "Hey, you don't get a day off?" And he goes, "I don't like days off." Right there, I just kind of admired the fact that this guy wants to play. He's a Canadian kid. I swear, I think he plays with that hockey mentality."

Adds Dodgers third base coach Rich Donnelly, "I don't know where he gets the energy. Catchers aren't supposed to have that much energy. Usually a catcher who catches five days in a row will get a little tired. This guy here, as soon as he puts that equipment on, he's energized again.

"(Manager) Grady (Little) talks to him a lot. Usually when a manager talks to a guy a lot, he's trying to get him to play a little harder. But when Grady talks to him, it's, "When I give you a day off in 10 days, is that OK?"

SoSG hearts Russell Martin! VOIX POUR LE RUSSELL!