BRADENTON (93.7 The FAN) - 2019 was an up and down year for Pirates outfielder Jason Martin, both figuratively and literally.
Martin was the first outfielder called up from the minors but spent time back at AAA before getting a September call-up an injuring his shoulder during a collision at the plate.
Martin initially elected to rehab the shoulder but eventually settled on going the surgical route and is happy with the results.
"I feel like it was a great decision, I feel good going in to camp," Martin told us. He went on to describe himself as "ahead of schedule."
As for the potential of earning a spot on the Opening Day roster either as a starter or fourth outfielder, Martin say it's about getting ready to compete first, then making a run at that spot on the roster.
"It's for sure about getting ready to go first...In some situations, where you just got to go out and play and they kind of make their decision off of that, I feel like it's going to be kind of one of those, kind of let us go out and compete and I like that."
Martin cited seeing what Bryan Reynolds did last year in coming up, impressing and forcing the teams hand as something that gives him hope that he can achieve something similar.
"As players, that's what we have to do. Its easy to get caught up in like, 'Man, I got called up, I'm not supposed to be up here for a while,' but you gotta take every day like it's your last and you do that, that's a perfect example of you going up and doing your thing and putting the pressure on them to say 'OK, we can't send this guy down,' and I feel like that's all of our goals."
Click the audio link below to hear Martin detail more of what he worked on this offseason to get ready for the opportunity ahead of him this spring.