Dave Martinez Quotes

I was always taught that a catcher has to be the brains of the team.

You figure when you match up against other clubs and you go through the lineup one through nine, you get to the nine hole, if you can put together an at-bat or you can see some different pitches that helps give you an advantage competitively, it can make your lineup stronger.

What you have to do in certain situations, that's called situational hitting.

I think the running game is very important to every offense. Being balanced is extremely important. There's times where you have to throw the ball. You could be down late in the game, you need to come back; you have to be able to pass it when they know you're passing it.

If you believe your catcher is intelligent and you know that he has considerable experience, it is a good thing to leave the game almost entirely in his hands.

Eddie Haas talked a lot about not hitting the ball in the air.

In baseball, you're always moving people around.

If you try to give them a scheme, most hitters will rebel.

Basically, hitters fall into a pattern, and once you know what they like, you can set them up for the putout with something else.

Most pitchers are too smart to manage.

For me, the most important thing is running a good clubhouse. The X's and the O's - you sit up in the stands and, for the most part, a lot of fans go to the game and they know what's going to happen. You're going to hit and run, steal, put a pitcher in, take a pitcher out.

I'll win more games playing everyday in the outfield than I will pitching every fourth day.

If a hitter gets hot, I wouldn't take a hot hitter out of the lineup.

There ain't no genius here. Strategy in baseball is overrated. People say, 'That Weaver, he plays for the long ball too much.' You bet I do. Hit 'em out. Then I got no worry about somebody lousing up a bunt, I got no worry about the hit and run - and that's really overrated - I got no worry about base-running errors. And I can't screw it up myself.

If there's a runner on third with less than two outs, I clearly do not want to strike out.

Coach Kiffin calls plays based on matchups and what he sees.

If someone's going to throw me in, I'm not gong to try and hit a ground ball to third, you know? I'm going to try and hit it in the air. If someone's going to throw me away, I'm not going to try and hit a ground ball to second, I'm going to drive it to right-center.

From the standpoint that you try to adjust your offense to your quarterback, you try to adjust your football team around your players. You do the best you can with the hand that you have, and you've got to add some parts along the way.

That's why, to me, Spring Training is so hard, because every time you go up there, there's a new pitcher, and you have to come up with a new plan.

That's the thing about pinch-hitting - you usually have a chance to make a difference in the game.

Contrary to everyone's belief of 'J.D. is a launch-angle guy. He wants to get the ball in the air and this and that.' This is true, but you're not trying to force situations, trying to force things.

I've always been very intimately involved in the playcalling on game day.

Whoever's hitting in front of you or behind you is going to determine how you get pitched, but there's nothing you can do.

Not that managing in the American League is easy, but this is certainly different. I'll have to have somebody poke me in the rear end when I have a pitcher that's going to hit.

To tell the truth, I never think about a homer. I'm just thinking of the situation and what I've got to do when I go to the plate.