Is Martinez the New Manny?

Via Trifecta Network

J.D. Martinez might have been the power hitter Boston’s been looking for. Alex Cora is already comparing him to Manny Ramirez. He’s not talking about Manny’s attitude, he’s talking about how Martinez swings the bat.

Don’t you think it’s a little soon to be comparing Martinez to Manny? The player hasn’t even swung a bat at Fenway Park, and we’re already talking about him being one of the greatest to ever put on the Red Sox uniform.

Ortiz Helps with the Younger Players

I’m sure David Ortiz being at spring training helps, but that’s living up to high expectations for Martinez. According to the Boston Globe, Alex Cora said, “Our lineup got longer from top to bottom, You have to execute, especially nowadays. You almost have to be perfect from Pitch 1, from Mookie [Betts] all the way down to nine. We saw Manny and what he did.”

So for Martinez not to be traded to LA he has to have a .300 batting average and hit for 274 home runs during his time here. Manny played 1,083 games with the Red Sox and scored 743 runs. He played eight seasons then got traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Cora Has High Expectations

(Fort Myers FL, 02/22/18) Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart and second baseman Brock Holt celebrate with manager Alex Cora after scoring on Austin Rei’s double in the first inning of the Spring Training game against Northeastern University at JetBlue Park on Thursday, February 22, 2018. Staff photo by Matt Stone

Alex Cora also talked about the hitting at Fenway Park and how it helped Manny. Cora said to the Boston Herald ” People talk about Fenway, how big it is to right field, right-center. With him, it doesn’t matter. If he stays with his approach, and I bet you a dollar he will stay with his approach, The Wall is going to help him out actually because he’s going to stay on those fastballs and drive them to right-center. Whenever they hang one, he’ll pull it with power.”

No pressure at all, J.D. Only have to live up to those high expectations of a great hitter in Red Sox history. Not to mention Cora also said Martinez looked like Ortiz as well. Let’s see how he is in April before we compare him to great hitters.