Leonys Martin has taken a lot of heat this season, and rightfully so.
The Cuban import was supposed to be a dynamic, speedy guy with serious potential to be a long-term leadoff hitter for the Rangers. Instead, he failed miserably and showed no plate discipline, forcing the Rangers to go via free agency in their search by giving Shin-Soo Choo a mega deal.
But over the past two weeks, Martin is starting to hit the ball with great consistency and is sporting an average well over .400 in that time. With Choo's recent shut down for the season, he's about to get a much bigger opportunity.
Martin is the likely candidate to hit leadoff, with an occasional appearance from Dan Robertson, and has a chance to show he might be an option there in 2015. We've all seen that Elvis Andrus isn't a great candidate to hit No. 2 in the Rangers' lineup, and Choo, when healthy, would seem like a natural fit there.
The Rangers desperately wanted Martin to seize the leadoff gig last year, and he failed to do so, but now he gets another shot.
The upside and potential of Martin is undeniable. You're talking about a guy who can hit for power, bunt to get on base and has the potential to steal 40 bags per year. What more can you want from a leadoff hitter? Now, he just needs to show it.
