Major League Baseball

Cervelli serving as Russell Martin Lite for Bucs

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:02 p.m. ET

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When Russell Martin left the Pirates last winter, it looked like a rare setback for a youthful, ascendant franchise that had re-energized a fan base after two decades of cellar-dwelling misery. Martin was a strike-stealing, Howitzer-armed on-base machine over the 2013-14 seasons, giving the Bucs their first multidimensional talent behind home plate since Jason Kendall's heyday in the late '90s. How could they possibly replace that guy?

Pretty easily, actually -- at least so far. Francisco Cervelli is doing his best Martin impression at a fraction of the price. Cervelli -- acquired from the Yankees for lefty reliever Justin Wilson and earning less than $1 million during his second year of arbitration eligibility -- could be emerging as one of the game's best dual catching threats. He's expanding the strike zone for the Pirates' top-rated pitching staff, and serving as a catalyst in a lineup that has largely underachieved in 2015. Neal Huntington went blue light shopping like no other GM this past winter -- adding Jung ho Kang and A.J. Burnett, re-signing Francisco Liriano -- but Cervelli has arguably been the biggest bargain.

Before Pirates fans completely forget Martin, however, Cervelli will have to prove he can keep producing over the long haul. The 29-year-old plays the most physically punishing position on the diamond, and has myriad DL stints to prove it. Aside from staying healthy, Cervelli will also have to show some power at the plate -- he's not going to keep getting hits on balls in play like he's the scion of Ted Williams or Ty Cobb. If Cervelli truly is Russell Martin Lite, the Pirates might finally be able to achieve the Sisyphean task of catching the Cardinals in the NL Central standings. 

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