For a team that prides itself on defense, Martinez is a deficiency. But the Cards need to create offense, and Martinez is lately hitting line drives, while his teammates are seldom hitting. Seldom is even a stretch, considering the Cards survived no-hitter scares in both losses to Washington in the National League Championship Series. The offensive performance has been unacceptable.
Putting Martinez in right, for instance, means Tommy Edman likely moves to third, and the veteran Carpenter to the bench (he’s got a career .263 OBP against Strasburg in 19 at-bats). Even that doesn’t solve the issues at the top of the lineup, where Dexter Fowler has two hits and three walks this postseason, or at the bottom of the lineup, where they have No.