Yankees' Russell Martin Still Hurting; Montero, Romine Headed To Bigs?
NEW YORK (WFAN) --Yankees catcher Russell Martin was back in the lineup on Sunday after missing four straight games from a stiff back.
"Feeling good," he said.
Martin must have felt something not-so-good on Monday. He was a late scratch with -- you guessed it -- a stiff back.
"He's been so beat up," Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long said about the hurt, slumping catcher. "It's really unfair to judge. He basically busted up his toe twice, he's basically swinging without his legs. Anytime you do that, you get into some funks."
If Martin is forced to take time on the disabled list, can the Yankees live with light-hitting catcher Francisco Cervelli?
They might have to.
Top prospect Jesus Montero was reportedly benched over the weekend. Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre skipper Dave Miley called it a "manager's decision," though Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on Sunday the young catcher's absence was due to an eye infection.
Montero went 2-for-4 with a home run in his return to the lineup Monday.
If the on-again, off-again Montero doesn't fit the bill for Yankees brass, the club may have to wait a few days for Double-A prospect Austin Romine. He suffered a concussion on June 2.
"It's starting to go away," Romine told the Newark Star-Ledger. "Realistically, I might start playing on the road trip. It may be earlier, but that's up to the Yankees. I just do what they tell me to do. All I know is I feel a lot better and am as close to 100 percent as you can be."
"This is very frustrating because I am used to playing every day," he added. "I'm losing my mind just sitting on the bench and I know I am getting on everyone's nerves."
Should the Yankees call up Montero or Romine? Sound off in the comments below...
