Contract Al Martin, Please

Al Martin, the man who has typified the average left fielder for more than a decade, was given his walking papers today by the Florida Marlins. It seems that Martin didn't want to accept a condition that gave the Marlins power of attorney to demote him to the minors. Apparently, that was what was on the Marlins mind, since they then cut the former Pirate loose.

Don't cry for Martin though, Argentina. You see, he didn't have far to walk with those papers (where does that expression come from anyway?). Martin landed in Tampa Bay later on today. It appears that the Devil Rays strategy is improvement by waiver wire as they acquired the recently released (by the Braves) Mike Venafro as well.