News: Houston outfielder J.D. Martinez played a big role in the Astros' win over the Cubs on Wednesday night. Martinez tripled to right field in the fourth inning to give Houston a 2-1 lead as he drove in Carlos Lee and Chris Johnson. Martinez wasn't done, however, as he added an RBI single in the eighth inning and later came around to score. Martinez finished 3 for 4 in the game with three RBI and is batting .235 on the year.
Analysis: The 24-year-old Martinez has a world of potential and just needs to sustain a hot streak to get his batting average up to respectable levels. Still, he can be an extra-base machine and already has 25 RBI on the season, despite just three homers. Martinez has the potential to be on rosters in mixed Fantasy formats. That said, owners should only be starting him in NL-only formats until he can show some more consistency.
News: Astros manager Brad Mills once again dropped outfielder J.D. Martinez down to seventh in the batting order for Saturday's contest against the Rangers. Martinez entered the game mired in a 4-for-48 slump (.083) with no extra-base hits over that stretch. "I don't want to sit here and try to spin it any way that sounds good, but more than anything else I'm trying to take a little pressure of J.D. a little and see if that helps him," Mills said. "Maxwell is swinging the bat well against left-handers [lefty Derek Holland started for the Rangers] and I need somebody to hit third and I wanted to keep Jed [Lowrie] fifth."
Analysis: Martinez got off to a scorching start this season as he hit .282 with three home runs and 19 RBI during April. However, he has really been scuffling over the past few weeks and just can't seem to get himself going at the plate. The Astros have been moving him all around in the batting order, but nothing has seemed to work thus far. However, Mills seemed determined to let the 24-year-old work through his issues, so we would expect him to remain in the lineup, despite his lack of production. While Martinez looks to have to tools to be a solid Fantasy option down the road, owners should leave him reserved until he gets himself turned around.
News: Houston outfielder J.D. Martinez went 2 for 4 with a pair of singles during the Astros' 4-3 loss at Philadelphia on Tuesday. Martinez's hits halted a seven-game hitless streak and marked his first multihit performance since April 25. He entered the matchup in a 1-for-33 skid over his past 11 games. He has been dropped in the batting order and slotted sixth in the lineup while raising his batting average to .231 on the season.
Analysis: At last, Martinez out an end to his woeful hitless skid. The 24-year-old became one of the most sought-after players in CBSSports.com Fantasy leagues when he opened the season with a nine-game hitting streak, but wiped out that start with an .038 batting average and .107 on-base percentage in May. Fantasy owners should monitor his progress as this could be the spark to get him going again at the plate.
News: Houston outfielder J.D. Martinez finished hitless in four at-bats during the Astros' 3-2 loss at Pittsburgh on Sunday. Martinez was back in the lineup for the first time since last Wednesday as Houston manager Brad Mills wanted to give him time off during his prolonged slump. He is now hitting .221 this season. "I've been itching the last two days to get out there," Martinez told MLB.com on Saturday. "I just feel weird."
Analysis: Martinez is now just 1 for 35 over his past 11 games to quickly erase his hot stretch at the start of the season. But despite Martinez's .045 average in May, Mills still believes in the young slugger. "I thought he looked good in early batting practice and regular batting practice [on Friday]," he said. "Just talking to him on the bench, he seems to be in a good place. I think he's OK. ... It's for him to take a breath a little bit. That's all." Fantasy owners should consider keeping Martinez on the bench until he regains his form that produced 22 hits and 19 RBI in April.
News: Astros manager Brad Mills dropped outfielder J.D. Martinez to sixth in the batting order for Tuesday night's contest against the Marlins. Martinez , who has batted in the three-hole for much of the season, has recorded just one hit over his last 25 at-bats. "The biggest thing for me is he got off to a real good start, and clubs saw that, they respected that and then he started taking his walks," hitting coach Mike Barnett told MLB.com. "Then he got antsy because he's not getting hits, but he was walking two or three times a game. So then he starts trying to force the issue a little bit."
Analysis: Martinez was hitting .310 with a .430 on-base percentage back on April 27, but has seen his numbers tumble downward ever since. The biggest reason for Martinez's struggles is the fact that he has been swinging at pitches out of the strike zone, according to Barnett. "Now we have to get him back in the strike zone and take what they're going to give him. If they're not going to pitch to you, take your walk. Eventually what's going to happen is they're going to have to come back in the strike zone for you, and you have to be disciplined enough to get the pitches you want to hit, and if not, then lay off them." Fantasy owners should continue to monitor how Martinez fares over the next few weeks. However, it might not be a bad idea to leave him reserved until he gets back on track.
News: Houston outfielder J.D. Martinez went 0 for 5 with a strikeout on Wednesday during an 8-1 win over New York. Martinez is slumping at the moment as he's gone just 1 for 15 in his last five appearances to drop his average to .267 from where it was at .310 when this cold streak began.
Analysis: Martinez has recorded 20 RBI in 24 games for the Astros and that is impressive run production. He's been an excellent Fantasy option in the early going, but has hit a bit of a poor pattern. Fantasy owners can continue to roll with Martinez in the hopes that he gets himself right again. He can remain active in most mixed Fantasy formats for the time being.
News: Houston outfielder J.D. Martinez had a nice performance in a win at Milwaukee on Wednesday afternoon. Martinez doubled among three hits and drove in three runs for the Astros. He added a walk as he reached base four times and scored once. Martinez has raised his batting average to .313 on the season after his performance Wednesday.
Analysis: Martinez has four RBI in his last two games and is up to 18 on the season as he's been a run-producing machine for the Astros. One of the best in the National League in RBI thus far, Martinez should be active in plenty of mixed Fantasy leagues.
News: Astros outfielder J.D. Martinez was able to extend his hitting streak during Saturday night's contest against the Marlins. Martinez ripped an RBI single in the ninth inning of the 5-4 victory and has now hit safely in all eight of Houston's games this season. He finished 1 for 3 with a pair of walks in the win.
Analysis: Martinez has been red-hot to start the season and has shown no signs of slowing down. He has already registered three multi-hit games and four of his 11 hits have gone for extra bases. While the 24-year-old will most likely cool off a bit as the season progresses, Martinez looks to be the real deal. Fantasy owners should continue to leave him active in all formats while he is swinging a hot bat.
News: Houston outfielder J.D. Martinez homered off Atlanta starter Randall Delgado in the first inning of Wednesday's loss to the Braves. Martinez hit a solo blast with two outs for his second HR of the season. Martinez finished the game 2 for 4 with a walk and two RBI. He's had a hot start to the year and is batting .364 for the Astros.
Analysis: Martinez has opened the season on a six-game hitting streak with a double, two homers and six RBI. Martinez had plenty of sleeper Fantasy appeal heading into the season and he's living up to that hype in the early going. Right now he's a worthy start in all NL-only and some deeper mixed leagues. That will expand if he keeps hitting as he has in the early going.
News: Houston outfielder J.D. Martinez hit his first home run of the season on Saturday against Colorado. He went 2 for 4 in the game with three RBI and a run scored. His two-run shot came in the fourth inning off starter Jamie Moyer. Martinez did leave three men on base, but the Astros would still go on for the 7-3 win.
Analysis: Martinez is playing well to start the season, just like he started spring training. He debuted last season for Houston and should be a staple in the Astros lineup this season. He hit .274 with six homers, 13 doubles and 35 RBI in 53 games in 2011, so with that sample size Fantasy owners should be excited for what lies ahead. Fantasy owners should consider Martinez a low-end starting outfielder in deeper mixed leagues to start the year.
News: Astros outfielder J.D. Martinez continued his assault on Grapefruit League pitchers during Wednesday's 10-3 win against the Phillies. Martinez doubled twice and drove in three runs in four at-bats. He is now batting .500 (4 for 8) with three runs, three doubles, one homer and eight RBI in three spring games. "I feel like I'm seeing the ball well, but I still have a lot to work on," Martinez told MLB.com. "I'll get better."
Analysis: This fast start is going to put Martinez in the Fantasy spotlight, but he should have already been on your radar. Martinez has been shooting through the Astros system since he was a 20th round pick in 2009. He debuted last season for Houston and held his own for the most part. He hit .274 with six homers, 13 doubles and 35 RBI in 53 games -- 28 of those runs came in August after being inserted into the lineup. Martinez is slated to be the Astros' everyday left fielder and likely hit third in front of Carlos Lee. Martinez did most of his damage hitting third last season. Don't reach for Martinez because he is off to a hot start this spring, but he is certainly worth considering as a late-round Fantasy sleeper.
News: Houston outfielder J.D. Martinez hit his first home run of the spring on Sunday in a Grapefruit League game against Washington. Martinez went deep in the third inning off Tom Gorzelanny for a three-run shot. He finished the game 1 for 2 with a walk and four RBI. Martinez also scored two runs for the Astros in the win.
Analysis: Martinez is looking to break camp as the starting left fielder for the Astros and he put a good start to that goal on Sunday. He was a career .342 hitter in the minors, sporting a .407 OBP and .958 OPS. Martinez is more of a doubles hitter than home run slugger, but that doesn't mean he can't help your Fantasy team. He is likely to hit third in front of Carlos Lee, so he should see some good pitches to hit. Consider Martinez a late-round Fantasy sleeper.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Astros LF J.D. Martinez said he has gained 22 pounds this offseason as his weight and his production fell, as usual, by the end of last season. Martinez had an on-base plus slugging of .834 OPS in August last year, and that fell to .622 in September as the long season took its toll.
Analysis: Martinez might have struggled down the stretch in 2011, but he is still a player to watch in 2012. He has more then exceeded expectations as a 20th round pick in 2009. He was a career .342 hitter in the minors, sporting a .407 OBP and .958 OPS. Martinez is more of a doubles hitter than home run slugger, but that doesn't mean he can't help your Fantasy team. He is likely to hit third in front of Carlos Lee, so he should see some good pitches to hit. Consider Martinez a late-round Fantasy sleeper.
News: Astros OF J.D. Martinez, who had been experiencing pain while running because of a bruised left foot, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in Wednesday's season finale against the Cardinals. He finished the year batting .272 for Houston. The Astros ended up losing the game, 8-0.
Analysis: Martinez finishes his rookie season with six homers and a .756 OPS in 204 at-bats. Those aren't bad numbers, but considering he hit .308 with five homers and a .929 OPS in his first 91 at-bats, the ending was a little disappointing. Martinez was never considered an elite prospect, but he had terrific numbers throughout his minor-league career and will likely have the inside track on a starting job entering 2012. He'll be worth a late-round flier in some mixed leagues.
News: Astros OF J.D. Martinez left Monday night's contest against the Cardinals with a foot injury. He was not in the lineup posted for Tuesday's game. "It's not nice right now," Martinez said. "It hurts when I'm running. I was telling the coaching staff I can play, but the thing is I'm worried about if that would be best for the team. Running right now is the painful thing."
Analysis: Martinez has been diagnosed bruised left foot. He s a promising young hitting prospect, who has done well since being brought up to the big leagues. He has been slumping a bit of late, but has been showing signs of life over his last few games. Keep him reserved in daily lineup formats.
News: Astros OF J.D. Martinez left Monday night's contest against the Cardinals with a foot injury. Martinez sustained the injury in the fifth inning and has been diagnosed bruised left foot. He went 1 for 3 prior leaving the contest and is being considered day top day.
Analysis: Martinez is a promising young hitting prospect, who has done well since being brought up to the big leagues. He has been slumping a bit of late, but has been showing signs of life over his last few games. Owners in daily formats should monitor his status moving forward to see when he will be able to get back on the field. Martinez can be considered a low-end Fantasy OF, when healthy.
News: Astros OF J.D. Martinez, who entered Monday's game against Philadelphia in a hitting slump, went 3 for 4 with a double and three runs scored. He is hitting just 7 for 35 (.200) in September.
Analysis: Martinez, a promising young hitting prospect, has been experiencing a typical late-season slump. However, he showed enough of a spark in Monday's game to indicate that he could be ready to be activated again in deeper leagues for the stretch run. Monitor him to see if he can back it up in the coming days.
News: After batting just .133 with no home runs or RBI this far in September, manager Brad Mills decided to give OF J.D. Martinez a break. Martinez did not play during Tuesday night's contest against the Pirates in an effort to clear his head. "I call it too much mind," he said. "Sometimes you have to let your instincts take over and sometimes I get caught up in it. Sometimes you think you're smarter than the game and you begin to feel what they're going to throw you and you start guessing. Once you start guessing, it's hard to get away from it. I feel it will be definitely useful. I don't mind days like this. I felt it coming."
Analysis: Martinez is now hitless over his last nine at-bats and was looking forward to getting a day off to clear his head. The 24-year-old said he planned to not think about hitting at all until he returns to the ballpark on Wednesday. Martinez's struggles are not uncommon -- especially for younger players -- so Fantasy owners should go abandoning ship just yet. He can be considered a viable option in most mixed formats, when he is hitting.
News: Houston OF J.D. Martinez continues to display his skills for the Astros. He went 3 for 5 with three RBI and a run scored in Houston's 8-2 win on Tuesday over Pittsburgh. Martinez did strike out twice, but did more than enough with his bat to get the win. "We are pushing each other all the time trying to make each other better," Martinez said. "We are confident. We have that confidence that we can tell each other, 'What are you doing. Let's go.' We've played with each other so long. We want nothing but the best for each other. It's nice to have." He also recorded the final out of the game by catching a fly ball.
Analysis: Martinez has been on a nice tear for the Astros, going 16 for 42 (.381) with one home runs and 14 RBI over his last 10 games. He's raised his season average from .257 to .295 over this stretch. Martinez is playing well and is showing Fantasy owners what they have to look forward to next year. For now, Martinez is worth using in deeper mixed formats.
News: Houston OF J.D. Martinez doubled twice and had two RBI in the Astros 3-1 win over the Giants on Thursday night. He went 2 for 3 in the game, raising his average to .308 on the year.
Analysis: Martinez has collected a hit in five straight games after Thursday's performance. He's batting .524 (11 for 21) with five doubles, one home run and nine RBI over this stretch. As he continues to produce for Houston, Fantasy owners in deeper mixed leagues should scoop Martinez up. With him playing well and putting runs on the board in Houston, Martinez is putting on a show for owners, so sit back and enjoy.
News: Astros OF J.D. Martinez turned in another big day at the plate during Saturday's contest against the Giants. Martinez collected a pair of hits in the victory, including his fifth home run of the season. He ripped the two-run shot off stater Madison Bumgarner in the seventh inning to give Houston a 7-1 lead. Martinez also drove in two with a double earlier in the contest and finished 2 for 4 with four RBI in the 7-5 victory. He is now batting .257 on the season.
Analysis: Martinez continues to impress during his brief tenure in Houston and looks to have solidify a spot for himself in left field -- at least for now. The 23-year-old has now driven in 19 runs over the 20 games he has appeared in and looks to have all the makings of a solid Fantasy contributor. However, until he proves he can consistently produce at this level, Martinez should only be active in NL-only formats heading into Week 21 (Aug. 22-28).
News: Astros OF J.D. Martinez turned in another big day at the plate during Saturday's contest against the Giants. Martinez collected a pair of hits in the victory, including his fifth home run of the season. He ripped the two-run shot off stater Madison Bumgarner in the seventh inning to give Houston a 7-1 lead. Martinez also drove in two with a double earlier in the contest and finished 2 for 4 with four RBI in the 7-5 victory. He is now batting .257 on the season.
Analysis: Martinez continues to impress during his brief tenure in Houston and looks to have solidify a spot for himself in left field -- at least for now. The 23-year-old has now driven in 19 runs over the 20 games he has appeared in and looks to have all the makings of a solid Fantasy contributor. However, until he proves he can consistently produce at this level, Martinez should only be active in NL-only formats heading into Week 21 (Aug. 22-28).
News: Astros manager Brad Mills told MLB.com on Monday that OF J.D. Martinez has settled into the third spot in the batting order. Martinez entered Monday's series opener against the Cubs batting .250 with four homers and 15 RBI through his first 15 games in the majors.
Analysis: Martinez has really opened some eyes since being called up from Double-A Corpus Christi and should remain in the heart of the lineup as long as he continues to produce. Along with averaging an RBI per game, he is slugging .554 with eight runs scored. While there is not much talent surrounding him in Houston, the 23-year-old appears to be someone to watch in Fantasy going forward. For now though, consider Martinez as more of an NL-only option.
News: Houston OF J.D. Martinez finished 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBI during the Astros' 9-1 rout at Arizona on Monday night. Martinez, who was slotted in the cleanup spot, drilled his third career homer -- a three-run shot -- off Diamondbacks SP Daniel Hudson in the first inning. It was his third home run over his last five games after being promoted from Double-A Corpus Christi on July 29.
Analysis: Martinez is beginning to show why he skipped over Triple-A when he jumped from Corpus Christi to the majors. The slugging 23-year-old was inserted into the lineup when regular right fielder Hunter Pence was traded and Martinez has responded with a solid .281 batting average. He has also registered three multi-RBI outings in his last five games and has 11 total in nine games. He's worth an addition in NL-only Fantasy formats for now.
News: Astros rookie OF J.D. Martinez hit third for the first time in his career on Wednesday against the Reds. Martinez responded by homering in his first at-bat, belting a 2-2 pitch over the left-field wall for his first career homer. "You're here two days ago, and now you're hitting third, and it's just like, 'Woah,'" Martinez told MLB.com. "But I'm up for the challenge, and I love the challenge. I like to be challenged." Martinez added a go-ahead, two-run double in the seventh inning, which sent Houston to a 5-4 win. Martinez finished 3 for 4 with one run and four RBI.
Analysis: Martinez went just 2 for 12 (.167) in his first four games in the majors, but let us not forget this kid didn't jump from Triple-A. He made the jump all the way from Double-A, so he might have some struggles. But Martinez is one of the Astros' top hitting prospects and the team has high hopes for him. Martinez has been starting regularly in left field and that might continue as long as he produces. Martinez is not yet a must-add, but he is an intriguing player to watch in deeper Fantasy formats.
News: Astros manager Brad Mills told MLB.com on Saturday that OF J.D. Martinez will make his first start in Sunday's series finale against the Brewers. Martinez was called up from Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday, where he batted .338 with 13 homers and 72 RBI in 88 games for the Hooks. "We're not bringing him up here not to play," Mills said. "We want to see this guy play. We saw how he could swing the bat in spring training and he played extremely well." Martinez collected his first career hit and RBI in Saturday's 6-2 loss, hitting a double to drive in Humberto Quintero as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning.
Analysis: Martinez slugged .549 at Double-A with a .416 on-base percentage and should see some playing time in the bigs with Hunter Pence now in Philadelphia. The 23-year-old has posted some solid numbers since being drafted out of Nova Southeastern University in 2009 and will likely split time in right field with Jason Bourgeois, or could see time in left field when Carlos Lee plays first base. Keep an eye on how he is used early on as he could be worth taking a flier on in deeper Fantasy formats. Either way, owners in NL-only formats might want to take a look at Martinez heading into Week 18 (Aug. 1-8).
News: The Astros purchased the contract of OF J.D. Martinez from Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday. He will take the roster spot of Hunter Pence, who was traded to the Phillies earlier in the day. Martinez batted .340 with 13 homers and 71 RBI in 87 games for the Hooks.
Analysis: Martinez slugged .549 at Double-A with a .416 on-base percentage and should see some playing time in the bigs with Pence now in Philadelphia. The 23-year-old has posted some solid numbers since being drafted out of Nova Southeastern University in 2009 and will likely split time in right field with Jason Bourgeois, or could see time in left field when Carlos Lee plays first base. Keep an eye on how he is used early on as he could be worth taking a flier on in deeper Fantasy formats. Either way, owners in NL-only formats might want to take a look at Martinez heading into Week 18 (Aug. 1-8).
News: Astros OF prospect J.D. Martinez is getting back to the norm at Double-A Corpus Christi after missing a good chunk of May with a hamstring injury. Martinez has hit safely in six of his last 10 games entering play Thursday. He is hitting .328 with a .412 on-base percentage, .912 OPS, 13 doubles, three homers and 32 RBI in 37 games this season.
Analysis: Martinez is doing quite well in the minors, batting .341 with a .405 on-base percentage and .951 OPS in his career. He projects to hit 15-20 homers annually, with most of his power coming in the form of doubles. Still, he is a good contact hitter and could be in the majors full-time by 2012. His ETA will be sped up if the Astros can somehow unload Carlos Lee, who is under contract through next season.
News: Astros OF prospect J.D. Martinez has not played in a game for Double-A Corpus Christi since May 5 because of a hamstring injury, but the Houston Chronicle reports Martinez is nearing a return from the Double-A DL. Martinez is batting .340 with three homers, 13 doubles and 30 RBI in 27 games.
Analysis: The good news is that this injury is not considered serious and should not pose a threat to Martinez's possible recall later this summer. Although he is only in his third minor-league season, Martinez is a candidate for recall later this year because all he has done is hit in his pro career. He is batting .343 in 237 games and is also quite the RBI producer. He has more than outplayed his draft position in the 20th round in 2009. He is more of a gap hitter than home run hitter because of his front-foot batting approach. Still, Martinez has the offensive tools to be a viable Fantasy option one day, so he is worth the flier in long-term keeper leagues. He even might be worth stashing in seasonal NL-only formats.
News: Astros OF prospect J.D. Martinez, who was the team's minor league player of the year in 2010, is already vying for the same honor just 10 games into his season at Double-A Corpus Christi. The 23-year-old prospect is leading the Texas League with 16 RBI in 10 games. He is batting .368 with five doubles and two homers as well.
Analysis: Fantasy owners are going to love this. In 220 minor league games, Martinez is batting .344 with a .405 on-base percentage and .963 OPS. He has more than outplayed his draft position in the 20th round in 2009. He is more of a gap hitter than home run hitter because of his front-foot batting approach. Still, Martinez has the offensive tools to be a viable Fantasy option one day, so he is worth the flier in long-term keeper leagues.
News: Houston manager Brad Mills finally got to look at prized prospect J.D. Martinez in a game on Saturday against the Tigers. Last season's minor league Player of the Year, Martinez had been slowed by a quad problem. “It’ll be nice to get him some action – some game action,” said Mills to the Houston Chronicle before the game. Martinez played DH and batted seventh. He went 0 for 3 with a strikeout. The plan for Martinez is to continue DHing and then get into the outfield in the coming games.
Analysis: The 23-year-old Martinez hit .341 with 18 homers between Class A and Double-A last year. He's always topped .300 in the minors and is one of the Astros' top prospects. “You look at his numbers, what he’s been able to do in the minor leagues,” Mills said. “Then you ask people, and they talk about how he drives the ball and how he swings the bat. They reiterate what the numbers say.” He'll likely start the year in the minors, but keep him in mind for long-tern keeper Fantasy drafts.
News: Houston OF prospect J.D. Martinez, who has been slowed this spring by a sore left quadriceps muscle, is hoping to play his first Grapefruit League game this weekend. "It's really frustrating," he told MLB.com. "It stinks it has to happen like this. In reality, it's good it happens now than during the year, but you want to try to make the best of the opportunity. I'm hoping that maybe tomorrow I can get back out there."
Analysis: Martinez, the Astros' minor league player of the year last season, has not been cleared to play after experiencing discomfort during workouts last week. "I'm just waiting for them to give me the go-ahead," he told MLB.com. "They wanted to give me today [off] and make sure I'm 100 percent, just so they don't have to cross their fingers when I'm running to make sure it doesn't occur again." Martinez recorded 18 homers and 89 RBI while hitting .341 between Class A and Double-A last year. He'll likely start the year in the minors, but keep him in mind for long-tern keeper Fantasy drafts.
News: Astros OF J.D. Martinez will miss a few days because of a sore left quadriceps muscle, the team announced on Monday.
Analysis: Martinez was the Astros' minor league player of the year after he hit .341 with 18 homers, 40 doubles and 89 RBI in 138 games last season between Class A and Double-A. He could be the heir apparent to Carlos Lee in left field. But Martinez is headed for the minors to open the season, so he remains a long-term Fantasy keeper.
