Next Game
New York Mets
@ Washington Nationals
Monday, Jul 20, 2009, 7:05 PM EDT
Nationals Park
Livan Hernandez vs J.D. Martin
?'s For The DC Faithful...
• Does Anyone Else Miss Brian Schneider?
• Can The Nationals Break Their 5-Game Losing Streak?
• Can J.D. Martin Beat Crafty Vet Livan Hernandez In His First MLB Start?
• Eight And A Half Seasons? What Took You So Long?
• Will The Washington Nationals Be Able To Finally Beat Livan Hernandez?
DC Starting Lineup...(when it's announced)
LINKS:
Complete Coverage >
J.D. Martin
#60 / Pitcher / Washington Nationals
6-4
195
R
R
Jan 02, 1983
'09 Stats - w/ Triple-A Syracuse - (8-3, 2.66 ERA), 16 G, 15 GS, 88.0 IP, 75 H, 33 R, 26 ER, 4 HR, 10 BB, 63 K's.
vs NYM - N/A - Making MLB Debut.
Origin Story - Cleveland Indians' 1st Round pick, 35th overall in 2001. 12/13/08 - Signed Minor League deal with Washington.
Livan Hernandez
#61 / Pitcher / New York Mets
6-2
245
R
R
Feb 20, 1975
'09 Stats - (5-5, 5.10 ERA), 17 GS, 100.2 IP, 121 H, 58 R, 57 ER, 12 HR, 38 BB, 53 K's, ERA+ = 83, 1.58 WHIP, 3.4 BB/9, 4.7 K/9, 1.39 K/BB, .313 BAA.
vs DC/Montreal - (10-5, 3.74 ERA), 16 GS, 110.2 IP, 108 H, 46 ER, 9 HR, 28 BB, 68 K's, 1.23 WHIP, .264 BAA.
Origin Story - 1/13/96 - Signed by Florida Marlins as FA. 7/25/99 - Traded To SF Giants for (RHP) Nate Bump and (RHP) Jason Grilli. 3/24/03 - Traded by SF Giants to Montreal Expos w/ IF/C Edwards Guzman for (RHP) Jim Brower and (LHP) Matt Blank.** 8/7/06 - Traded by Washington Nationals to Arizona Diamondbacks for (LHP) Matt Chico and (RHP Garrett Mock. 2/12/08 - Signed as FA with Minnesota. 8/6/08 - Claimed off waivers by Colorado. 2/14/09 - Signed as a FA with the NYM.
(ed. note - " ** = The Expos actually won this trade!!!!")
• J.D. Martin will be the first of the 13 minor league free agents the Washington Nationals signed on December 13, 2008 to make it to the majors (with DC) this season. The 26-year-old right-hander makes his debut after 8 years and 119 starts in the Cleveland Indians' system and 16 games in his first season with Washington's Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse, NY. Martin was the 21st pitcher selected in the 1st Round that season, and to put his journey to the major leagues in perspective, consider for a minute how long it seems like some of those pitchers selected before Martin, Mark Prior, Gavin Floyd, Aaron Heilman, Jeremy Sowers, Jeremy Bonderman or Noah Lowry have been around.
• MLB.com's Bill Ladson quotes new Nationals' skipper Jim Riggleman explaining, in an article entitled, "Martin latest Nats hurler to make debut", that Martin is a "strike thrower" who's "not overpowering", but "...understands holding runners and the finer points of pitching -- [such as] pitching to both sides of the plate."
• In a Nationals Journal post entitled, "He's A Kid Who Had To Scratch And Claw For Everything", Washington Times' writer Chico Harlan quotes "Acting" DC GM Mike Rizzo describes telling J.D. Martin when he signed him that if he:
"...performs well he's going to get an opportunity to pitch in the big leagues for us. And he's held up his part of the bargain for me. So I figured I'd have to help out, and I should hold up my end."
The Curse Of Livan Hernandez...
"...the NY Mets' and former Expos/Nationals' starter is now 6-0 in his last 6 starts against Washington going back to September 2nd 2006, when the 6'2'', 245 lb soft-tossing right-hander dropped his first start against his former team after the Nationals dealt him to Arizona in exchange for Matt Chico and Garrett Mock.
From The June 6, 2009 Post Game Report:
Livan Hernandez entered this afternoon's game against Washington (6-0) in 6 starts since he last lost to the Nationals back on September 2, 2006, the same year that he was traded from DC to Arizona bringing an end to the tenure of the first Nationals' ace. Hernandez threw 116 pitches this afternoon, 70 of them for strikes, and the 34-year-old soft-tossing right-hander allowed just 4 hits in 7.0 shutout innings in which he walked 4 and K'd 4 before leaving with a 6-0 lead in what would end up his being his seventh straight win...
Livan Hernandez is (0-4) in 7 starts since that last win over the Nationals, with the New York Mets winless in the veteran right-hander's outings over the same stretch. The Mets are 4-6 in their last 10 games, and they enter the 3-games series with the Nationals 9.0 games behind the NL East's 1st Place Philadelphia Phillies in 4th place in the division, coming of a series loss the Braves in Atlanta where NY dropped 3 for 4. So the Mets, and Livan Hernandez need to beat the Nationals tonight...That's going to make it so much better when DC wins...
For A Mets Fan's Perspective Check Out the SBN's NY Mets Blog: (Where They'd Take Manny Acta Today):
Who's Watching The Nationals?