Blue Jays Weigh Brett Lawrie's Readiness for Majors

If former Toronto Blue Jays manager Buck Martinez had anything to say about it --  top organizational minor league prospect Brett Lawrie would be in the majors already.

"If it were up to me,  I'd take him north,"  Martinez told his former colleagues at Sirrius-XM Radio after watching Lawrie closely at the conclusion of spring training.

Now working as a Blue Jays television announcer,  Martinez, however,  must leave the decision entirely to a committee of others,  none less important than Marty Brown,  Lawrie's manager with the Triple A Las Vegas 51s.  Brown sees things differently.

Hitting at a .441 clip in the early going,  Lawrie is doing all that can be expected of him in the Pacific Coast League, at least at the plate. But he has four errors,  and neither Brown nor anyone else seems willing to rush him into the field before he's ready.

"He's pretty special," Brown recently told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "(His bat) is what's going to take him wherever he needs to go.  But we have to make sure, when he gets his opportunity to go, he's prepared to play third base."

Some observers have speculated it may take at least two months before he can be considered capable of playing the hot corner without embarrassing himself.  Others,  such as Blue Jays announcer Alan Ashby,  a former Toronto catcher, think he is ready today despite what might be considered anomalous errors.

A Canadian native,  Lawrie, 21, was traded from Milwaukee to Toronto on Dec. 6 for pitcher Shaun Marcum. He is a former No. 16 overall pick, and has seen time at second base and the outfield during his brief career,  reps which might better have been spent learning third base,  seeing as the Blue Jays are determined to convert him.  Coaches are working on Lawrie's footwork and throwing.

Favoring Lawrie for a quicker callup is the fact that so far this season, it appears that he can't do much worse than anyone else Toronto has at third, especially struggling third base starter Edwin Encarnacion.   Need, it should be remembered, is the tie that binds.

Buck Martinez Back as Sirius/XM Baseball Host

Emmy-winning baseball broadcaster Buck Martinez -- former co-host of the trailblazing XM/Sirius "Baseball This Morning" program -- will return tod his familiar role alongside the empty big chair vacated by former partner Mark Patrick.

Martinez with share the microphone with Scott Graham.

Patrick continues to look for work from his home in Brownsburg, Ind. He is reported to be nearing a deal unrelated to XM.

Martinez, 59, who won an Emmy for the 1995 television broadcast of Cal Ripken's record 2,131 consecutive game, will also continue his broadcast work for TBS.

Martinez and the network had reportedly been trying to reach an agreement in recent weeks, as disclosed by network colleague Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton.

Hamilton, the familiar voice of AM radio's "Mighty 690" Southern California afternoon drivetime sports program -- recently joined the struggling network after a more than year-long, continuing network personnel upheaval which has seen the departure not only of Patrick, but Ronnie "Night Train" Lane, Mark Grey, Phil Wood, Orestes Destrade and others.

This will be Martinez's fourth year of service with XM. He formerly played 17 years as a major league catcher, making key acquaintances by sharing the same fields as such numerous baseball greats as Mickey Mantle, George Brett, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Palmer, Nolan Ryan, Harmon Killebrew, Frank Robinson, Tom Seaver, Ted Williams and Reggie Jackson, to name just a few.

Martinez managed the original U.S. team in the World Baseball Classic three years ago, earning him the nickname "Commander." He also formerly managed the Toronto Blue Jays.

In 2007 he and Patrick inaugurated XM's morning baseball program with former Phillies manager Larry Bowa, now third base coach for the Dodgers. Listeners gave them generous praise for originality, creativeness, entertainment and informativeness.

Buck Martinez Negotiating Return to XM Radio

Emmy-winning baseball broadcaster Buck Martinez -- who formerly served as co-host with the departed Mark Patrick on XM Radio's morning baseball program -- has entered into talks to return to the satellite network, according to a report from a network colleague.

Weekend and evening baseball talk show host Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton -- describing Martinez as a "free agent" -- recently disclosed that Martinez and XM-Sirius brass were trying to work out an arrangement for Martinez to return to the financially struggling network to cover the upcoming baseball season.

Martinez appeared at Tigers camp in Lakeland, Fla., Sunday while working as a commentator for TBS, a position he would maintain even if he returns to XM. It would be Martinez's fourth year of service with XM if the two sides can agree on a contract.

"I don't know whether they'll be able to get it done," said Hamilton in response to a question from a telephone listener.

In addition to his work on XM, Martinez has served as a baseball color analyst for ESPN, TBS and The Sports Network, and as game analyst for the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles. He was awarded a 1995 Sports Emmy for ESPN's coverage of Cal Ripken's record 2,131st consecutive game.

Martinez -- who resides in Bellaire Beach, Fla. and Cape May, N.J. -- managed the Toronto Blue Jays in 2001-02, and was a major league catcher for 17 years, including time with the Royals and Blue Jays, before injuries to his knees forced his retirement.

He and Patrick inaugurated XM's "Baseball This Morning" program with former Phillies manager Larry Bowa in 1987, and formerly shared the program's microphone with former Yankees first baseman Orestes Destrade. All of them abruptly left the network with little explanation despite their having gained accolades from listeners for high standards in originality, creativeness, entertainment and informativeness -- achievements largely unmatched since their departure.

Bowa now serves as third base coach for the Dodgers. Estrada has served as commentator for ESPN television's "Baseball Tonight." Patrick continues to seek work from his home in the Indianapolis suburb of Brownsburg.

Radio Broadcaster Mark Patrick's Career on Hold

Fans continue to await news of former XM Radio star Mark Patrick -- one of the most gifted sports broadcasters ever to wait by a telephone for months.

Though earlier rumored to have been the beneficiary of a customary, 90-day, contractual severance package since he being fired by the network in November -- which would have provided him income through much of this month -- the supposed arrangement has been called into question.

For all appearances, Patrick is languishing in his Brownsburg, Ind., "trailer" as major league catchers and pitchers prepare to report to spring camps in Florida and Arizona.

Ironically, Patrick and former "Baseball this Morning" broadcast partner Buck Martinez had reached the apex of their satellite radio endeavor when the struggling network pulled the plug on Patrick. Patrick's dismissal came even as he and Martinez had perfected an informative, entertainingly bright and yet often mockingly self deprecating and sarcastic repartee that held fans in rapt attention.

But program developer Charles 'Chuck' Dickemann -- with a more limited understanding of major league baseball than his two morning hosts -- reportedly had his share of disagreements with Patrick over form and content, with Patrick none too shy about speaking his mind, according to knowledgeable sources.

While the talent shined, the network failed to take advantage of its entree with key baseball sources to respond to tips or develop exclusives that would have greatly advanced XM Channel 75. Even the channel's hourly sports news breaks, for example, were especially repetitive, untimely and wholly unoriginal -- sometimes bordering on illiterate.

Wall Street analysts urged speculators and investors to sell their interests in XM as the network's descent into the realm of penny stocks threatened its listings on major stock exchanges. At the same time, Patrick found his contract renewal on the endangered species list.

Why haven't the powers-that-be given Patrick another chance as the new baseball season approaches? Why is it that decision making lies with all the wrong people?

(By the way it is widely accepted that Charles "Chuck" Dickemann is no relation to Charles "Bud" Dickman, talk show host Phil Hendrie's intern formerly on XM Channel 152. It was Bud, not Chuck, who was the one with the steel plate in his head, or was it the other way around?)

Broadcaster Mark Patrick Still on XM Radio Payroll?

Baseball commentator Mark Patrick -- formerly co-host with Buck Martinez on XM Radio's "Baseball This Morning" daily talk show -- is believed by a former network insider to be equivalently collecting pay from the satellite network while he contemplates options to return to broadcasting.

Having abruptly departed from XM last November, the former Fox sports radio personality is being paid through the period when catchers and pitchers report to big league training camps in Florida and Arizona next month. The prearranged contractual agreement likely will have been discontinued by the time major league exhibition games begin in March, according to speculation.

Ironically, Patrick's departure from XM came at a time when he and Martinez -- a former manager and 17-year major league catcher -- had developed an outstanding chemistry and were gaining the attention of a small but devoted following. Martinez remains with the network and also broadcasts for ESPN.

Patrick -- a former batboy for the Triple A Indianapolis Indians -- could not be reached for comment.

Though he has often been assailed for his ego, Patrick remains among the most talented and buoyant voices in sports broadcasting, with a broad range of knowledge, experience, grace under pressure and other divergent gifts.