Martinez replaces Fontenot
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Martinez replaces Fontenot
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Michael Martinez has only played in 16 games for the Phillies this season. (Jim Mone/AP Photo)
WASHINGTON — The Phillies shuffled utility infielders Wednesday by designating Mike Fontenot for assignment and recalling Mike Martinez.
Fontenot, 32, was signed to a minor-league deal and hit OK in limited action. He batted .289 with a .683 OPS in 47 games. Martinez, 28, spent all of last season on the roster as a Rule 5 pick. He's played in only 16 games this season.
Fontenot has a better bat, but he was made superfluous with Kevin Frandsen, who has a similar skill set. Martinez is a better defender who can play shortstop. Martinez has a higher chance of playing in 2013 for the Phillies, so they'll use him instead of the veteran Fontenot.
Martinez was hitting .271 with a .732 OPS at triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Subtracting Fontenot puts the 40-man roster at 38.
The Phillies also announced Nate Schierholtz and Josh Lindblom will be active for Wednesday's game. Schierholtz will wear No. 22 and Lindblom is No. 43.
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Buy Phillies tickets Comments (54)
Great idea Bob - sell the 2 guys who are basically impossible to sell. nice work— pdog154- Why are Schneider and Wigginton still on the team? Why wasn't Blanton moved for anything possible, and Cloyd brought up?— wo_fat
- Are Cholly and Martinez having an affair or something? There definitely seems to be some sort of love connection...— Bobby G
- It's about the money, guys. This article should have noted that Martinez makes $487,000 and is not arbitration eligible until 2014. Fontenot made his ML debut in 2005, made $1 million last year and is arbitration-eligible now -- and will be again in 2013. Thus, he had no shot at making the club in 2013. Martinez will absolutely be with the Phillies next year, either at AAA or in Philly. This move probably bought Ruben a little more under-the-cap breathing room this year. Plus, Fontenot was not returning next year.— eman
- BobSG, I bet you win your fantasy league every year. Brilliant ideas, especially since Polanco is a free agent next year and on the DL right now. You sound like the kind of guy who would trade Melky Cabrera for Eric Kratz based on 5 games.— HardPretzels
- Say it isn't so.... WHY this is a really stupid move! Nice job Rube and company. Bring up a kids who couldn't hit his way out of a wet paper bag with a whole in it!— srcdaddy1216
- I dont understand this move, kinda dumb to me.— huntnmike3666
- Martinez is this Phillies version of Bobby Wine,all field no hit.— youwish
- Bobby Wine was 10x the fielder that Martinez is. No comparison in that aspect - none. You are correct about the offense. Wine was as bad as Martinez is now. — Bob1
- Infield defense has sufferred this season and cost us many games. This makes it pretty clear that we will NEVER see Ty Wigginton at 2nd or 3rd base ever again. As a pitcher I can tell you, we'd rather have guys behind us who can catch the ball, rather than hit for higher average. At least we know we have a shot every game if we pitch well, they'll make the outs for us. If you pitch well, and your infield stinks, you have NO shot. Not that I would want a whole infield of Mendozas.....you still gotta hit some. And it is also about the money for threshold tax purposes and also freeing up a roster space. No telling what Rube has up his sleeve for the rest of the season or offseason.
Still stunned that we gave Qualls away for NOTHING and the Pirates gave up NcGehee for him. I know McGehee is nowhere near as good now as he was, but it would've seemed we needed a positional body like that, too. Of course there are three reasons why it didn't happen for us...1. the timing of the transaction. If it were us getting rid of Qualls yesterday, that deal might have been available to us also. Apparently a few weeks ago it wasn't. 2. Teams often trade with the other league just to get that player out of the league, so they don't help any of their NL (for instance) competitors to improve and come back and bite them come playoff time. 3. There may be an issue with the player....malcontent in the clubhouse, drinking problem, etc....maybe the Phils didn't want those issues in their clubhouse.— Mark1npt - I'm still waiting to see Ty Wigginton play 2nd base for the first time. Did I miss it? Now that would be funny, if nothing else. Oh, and I'm pretty sure you don't need to be a pitcher understand that having people on your team who can catch the ball is better than having people who can't. A half-witted five year old could figure that out. — jermigio
- Martinez and Bruntlet, they can play every position (none of them well) and bat .160.— Sidewinder7
- Bringing back Martinez and Schneider will make everyone forget our hitting problems! Can we please get Gillick back here quick before Rube the Boob has this team set up as a consistant celler dweller?— cooperhawk
- Can't have too SF Giants cast-offs on the team at one time I guess.— DrumsAndBeer
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The Phillies Zone is the place for up-to-the-minute Phillies coverage from the Inquirer.
Matt Gelb
Inquirer Staff Writer
Bob Brookover
Inquirer Baseball Columnist
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