NEW YORK -- The friendship between Yairo Munoz and Jose Martinez was struck on one of Munoz's first days at Cardinals camp. The 23-year-old was so green, some of his gear still sat in an Oakland A's equipment bag. Its gold-and-pine design clashed noticeably against his new clubhouse's red-and-white décor.
The first conversations came, naturally, in the batting cage. In an environment full of new sights and sounds, Munoz gravitated towards the baseballs Martinez sent flying from his bat. How they sizzled, and how far they travelled through the air. In his native Spanish, Munoz asked Martinez how he could get them to do the same off his.