Martin Turning Things Around After Slow Start

Leonys Martin seemed to find something special down the stretch in 2014, specifically after Ron Washington resigned and interim skipper Tim Bogar entrusted Martin into the leadoff spot for a small sample.

So when Jeff Banister edged out Bogar for the manager's job in the offseason, he ended up putting that same trust in the toolsy Cuban and gave Martin the keys to the offense as the Rangers' leadoff man entering the 2015 season.

Coming out of the shoot, Martin struggled horribly — so much so that Banister dropped Martin down in the lineup for a few games to let him regroup.

"He’s responded," Banister told The Dallas Morning News of Martin. "We do things for a player that are designed to help have the greatest amount of success for the long term. There is a bigger picture for me.”

In Martin's past four games, he's really turned things around, going 8-for-17 with three doubles and four runs scored with a .526 on-base percentage. He's also swiped two bases in that four-game span. If he can become the leadoff hitter Banister and the Rangers envisioned, it'd be a huge boost to the club's offense.

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