Now that Craig Gentry is no longer a Texas Rangers outfielder, Leonys Martin just might hold the title as the fastest player on the Rangers, and recently, he's been using his speed to spark the Rangers' once-slumping offense.
The recent four-game set in Minnesota provided plenty of evidence of that, as Martin went 2-for-3 with two doubles -- both of which were just shy of leaving the park in Minneapolis -- and scored three runs. In Wednesday's 1-0 win, Martin scored the Rangers' lone run when he bunted for a base hit, stole second and then scored on a Luis Sardinas RBI single.
On Thursday, Martin scored three times, including the game-winner in the eighth inning off a relatively shallow sac fly from Rougned Odor, as he slid in past the throw of the Twins' right fielder.
"He has to make a perfect throw to throw me out in that situation," Martin told reporters after the Rangers won their third game of the four-game set before heading off to the nation's capital.
That's the kind of confidence manager Ron Washington wants to see from Martin, who has made a habit of going through horrible slumps and also some hot streaks. Now 9-for-31 through the first eight games of the team's season-long 11-game road trip, Martin seems to be in one of those hot streaks now, and it's providing some much-needed spark to a recently lifeless offense.
