Tino Martinez may be one of the most beloved Yankees to don pinstripes during New York's dynastic run in the late 1990s, but the Miami Marlins likely do not have the same affection for him.
Martinez has resigned as the Marlins hitting coach amid allegations that he was physically and verbally abusive to the very players he was attempting to coach up. According to reports, several months ago Martinez is said to have grabbed an unidentified player by the neck and neck chain. Sources said Tino "erupted in anger."
This incident is reportedly not the first involving Martinez and his temper. A player who spoke with anonymity said the Marlins have complained to manager Mike Redmond several times about Martinez's behavior. "It's all shocked everybody," the player said. "He uses intimidation. It's been a problem since day one."
Sources close to the organization say they have witnessed Martinez verbally attacking Justin Ruggiano, Chris Valaika and Matt Downs; other sources claim the list of intimidated players stretches longer than that.
It did not appear as if Tino's approach was working. The Marlins have scored an MLB-low 3.18 runs per game in 2013. They are baseball's worst offense in terms of runs, home runs (62), RBI (310), batting average (.232), on-base percentage (.291), and slugging (.337). The player who spoke on anonymity blamed the rift between the players and Tino as a major culprit for the offense's futility.
Martinez has also failed to get much out of the team's lone star, Giancarlo Stanton, who has battled injury and disappointed in a massive way. Stanton's batting average sits at .261, and he has managed just 13 home runs and 33 RBI. Of course, it's not all Stanton's fault. The lack of quality hitters around him, and the poor production of those in the lineup, have contributed to a dearth of hittable pitches for the young outfielder.
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