Boston’s Martinez would like to see some video remain

By: Ken Powtak, The Associated Press Posted: 3:22 PM CST Monday, Feb. 17, 2020 Last Modified: 3:23 PM CST Monday, Feb. 17, 2020

Advertise with us

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Boston slugger J.D. Martinez has relied on video to analyze and adjust his swing before and during games. He’d hate to see the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal lead to the complete ban of in-game access.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/02/2020 (2081 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Boston slugger J.D. Martinez has relied on video to analyze and adjust his swing before and during games. He’d hate to see the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal lead to the complete ban of in-game access.

“That’s who I am,” he said Monday at the team’s spring training complex. “There’s going to be some restrictions. I think to go out there and take all video out and not be allowed to look at at-bats is a little ridiculous in my opinion.”

Since Martinez has been with the Red Sox, a member of the team’s staff would set up with his personal iPad outside the opposite side of batter’s box when Martinez was taking batting practice. Martinez would then take the device and retreat to the clubhouse to look at his swing. The team has been setting up an iPad for all players since Martinez was signed as a free agent during spring training in 2018.

FILE - In this Sept. 23, 2019, file photo, Boston Red Sox's J.D. Martinez bats against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Many Red Sox players talked Saturday, Jan. 18, about how much they liked and valued manager Alex Cora and hated to see him go. “I’m heartbroken about it," Martinez said. “I understood his side of it. He definitely didn’t want to be a distraction. He was one of my favorite, if not my favorite, managers I’ve had." (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

He explained Monday that he often looks at video of his swing in between at-bats during games.

“For me, it’s what makes me, me,” he said. “I’m a very analytical guy. I like to study my swing; what my back foot is doing, my elbow, whatever it may be.

“There’s a lot of guys nowadays that are like that, that’s the trend of the game,” he said.

Martinez said he’d like to see those in charge of the game talk to players before they decide what to ban. MLB is discussing proposed changes to video access regulations with the players’ association.

“I think you can be a little more informed of what you actually do,” he said. “I think you can talk to some players that have played: ‘Hey, does this help? How we can monitor it and delay it?’”

Martinez was released by Houston during spring training in 2014 and signed with Detroit. He experimented with an iPad that season but was razzed and discouraged about it by Tigers veterans. He didn’t make the iPad a staple of his routine until he stuck with the major league club the next season.

“When I was in the minor leagues — Double-A, Triple=A — we had video systems. It’s something you grew up with,” he said. “It’s something you go back and can check something in your swing. It helps you throughout the game. To-all-of-sudden take that away, it’s a little extreme, I think.”

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports