Zakarin: Interview with Fernando Martinez
On Wednesday, I talked with Fernando Martinez while in Binghamton for the team’s open workouts.
To watch the full three-minute interview, complete with clips of Martinez taking batting practice, click here: 
Jordan Zakarin: So you’re now fully healthy; are you excited for this season?
Fernando Martinez: Yeah, you know, I feel very, very, very good, because, really, I want to be healthy, I want to work right here, maybe work for the next level.
Jordan Zakarin: What was it like being in Major League spring training, meeting the guys; what did you learn?
Fernando Martinez: Wow, I learned everything. You know, I see everyday, the guys – Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Pedro Martinez, Johan Santana -everybody talked to me, you know, about how it’s different there and staying in the minor leagues. I was very happy for that.
Jordan Zakarin: Did seeing guys like Jose Reyes, David Wright, young guys, does that make you excited that you can have a chance to be on the Mets too?
Fernando Martinez: I don’t know, man, [laughing], I don’t know. Like I told you, I’m gonna try to make it to the next level – but you never know.
Jordan Zakarin: What are you working on, over the winter and now, to get better?
Fernando Martinez: In the off-season, I worked on everything. I worked on the outfield, baserunning, hitting. You know, because, that’s my game. If I don’t play baseball, you know, this is the only thing I know: playing baseball.
Jordan Zakarin: What would you say the things you’re best at, your strengths, and what things do you need to get better at?
Fernando Martinez: To be better, I need to work on everything. I work on hitting in the cage, on the field, I work in the outfield, the baserunning. I work on everything.
Jordan Zakarin: In New York, you have a lot of fans already. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but they call you the Teenage Hitting Machine. Do you have anything to say about that?
Fernando Martinez: I don’t know, man, [laughing]. I try, you know, I try.
…fernando is obviously the star in binghamton… during the open workouts, all the media were requesting to talk to him much more than anyone else, and he handled it very well, getting his hitting and fielding in, and then gracefully giving time to whomever needed it… he’s already a seasoned pro in this regard… photographers were asking him to pose for pictures in pseudo mid-swing, and he knew exactly what to do…
…he’s a very, very impressive kid, whose english is incredible for someone who has only spent a handful of years here in the summer concentrating on baseball…he took classes at SUNY Binghamton, which is really impressive…
…for age 19, he is huge, with a strong handshake and body you know is meant to punish baseballs, which is exactly what he did throughout the batting practice sessions…i really look forward to seeing him more in binghamton, but more importantly, in new york as soon as he’s ready…
Again, to watch the full three-minute interview, complete with clips of Martinez taking batting practice, click here:
…added to by Matthew Cerrone…
…nice work, jordan…i look forward to more and more of these interviews throughout the year…
