Dos Palos’ Martin continues wild ride closer to home

The career of a professional baseball player tends to have no shortage of sharp turns.

Even the game’s biggest stars can follow a Hall of Fame-caliber month with a lengthy rough patch. That ebb and flow is the nature of the game.

Even bearing that in mind, 2015 has been a wild ride for Dos Palos High School graduate Cody Martin.

Martin broke spring training as a member of the Atlanta Braves’ bullpen and was lights out to open the season. He didn’t surrender a run until his fifth appearance and allowed only four in April. The good times continued into May as Martin opened the month with four consecutive scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 2.16.

The league seemed to adjust, and things got tougher. Martin allowed nine runs over his next seven outings and was sent back to Triple A on June 8. His ERA ballooned to 5.40, but he maintained good command throughout his big-league stint, walking just seven with 24 strikeouts in 212/3 innings.

Martin probably assumed after a good showing at Triple-A Gwinnett, he’d have another crack with the Braves. But as he’d done to so many hitters over the years, baseball tossed him a curve. The only organization Martin had known in five professional seasons traded him to the Oakland A’s on July 5.

The trade may prove to be a blessing. Oakland’s bullpen has been shaky all season, and general manager Billy Beane has been selling off pieces with the trade deadline looming. Martin may get another crack at the majors this season, and much closer to family and friends.

His four starts with Triple-A Nashville have been a mixed bag. His ERA is high (7.71) after an eight-run, two-inning showing against Memphis, but Martin hasn’t allowed more than three runs in his three other starts.

Curtis Partch, Triple-A Sacramento

Partch got a taste of the big leagues with the Cincinnati Reds in 2013 and 2014, but a trade to the Giants in the offseason has relegated him to Triple A for all of 2015.

He’s done his part to get San Francisco’s attention, with a 1-2 record and a 3.32 ERA in 35 relief appearances for Sacramento. The big right-hander has seen an uptick in his strikeout numbers, recording 57 in 431/3 innings.

Bradin Hagens, Triple-A Durham

The former Merced College ace is getting acquainted with a new organization after getting traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in the offseason. He opened the year at Double A but quickly worked his way up to Durham.

Hagens has been solid since his move to Durham in late June, posting a 1-2 record with a 3.10 ERA in six games (five starts).

Dylan Floro, Triple-A Durham

Hagens isn’t the only local making a name for himself at Durham. The former Buhach Colony star has moved steadily through the Rays’ farm system but had one of the rougher patches of his career in his first year at Triple A, allowing at least six earned runs in five consecutive starts spanning early June to early July.

The right-hander seems to have things back on track, allowing two earned runs total in his past three starts.

Eddie Gamboa, Triple-A Norfolk

After eight years in the Baltimore Orioles’ organization, the former Merced High hurler was rewarded with his first, albeit brief, taste of the “show” in April. He didn’t get into a game, but it was enough to get his juices flowing for the season.

The knuckleballer has been steady for the Tides, going 8-7 with a 3.53 ERA.

Ben Griset, Low-A Savannah

Despite a solid first two seasons in the Tampa Bay organization, the Rays let the former Gustine ace go and he was picked up by the New York Mets.

The left-hander has made a nice impression, posting a 3.21 ERA in 18 relief appearances. Griset has 31 strikeouts in 28 innings on the year.

Derick Velazquez, out for season

The 2014 seventh-round pick of the Houston Astros will miss all of the 2015 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in the offseason.

The former Los Banos and Merced College star was good in a short stint last year, going 2-1 with four saves and a 1.57 ERA in 18 appearances for the Tri-City (N.Y.) ValleyCats.

This story was originally published July 29, 2015 at 8:27 PM with the headline "Dos Palos’ Martin continues wild ride closer to home."