Mike Martinez - July 2013
Photo by Jayne Hansen
Martinez was drafted in the 36th round in 2012 out of Florida International University. He spent two seasons in the system. However, in late August of 2013, Martinez was suspended for 50 games for PED's, specifically an amphetamine. Martinez never got the opportunity to tell those of us who were following him his side of the story. He's moved on with his life, but that missed opportunity has continued to bother him. Here is what he told me about that very unfortunate episode in his life. [Note: I removed specific names from this portion of Mike's story.]
MM: First off, this is not to say anything negative about anyone. I simply want to tell my side of the story. I feel like I owe it to the fans to explain exactly what happened. So here it goes. It started in college. I realized I had issues concentrating and paying attention in college, so I looked for help. I went to a local doctor, with the advice of my academic adviser. I was diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed Adderall in college and was using it to help me with my studies, as well in life. As I got into the MiLB I stopped using the pill, as it is banned by the MLB. Halfway through the year at Greeneville, I approached my trainer, and he pointed me to the person you contacted to get the TUE [Therapeutic Use Exemption] approved which is what allows you to use prescribed meds. That offseason I constantly tried to make an appointment with an MLB certified psychiatrist, but was unsuccessful. At the time, I was living in Miami, FL and the closest doctor was in West Palm Beach, which is 2 hours from my house. I could not get an appointment so I went to spring training with no TUE and with no use of Adderall. Towards the end of spring training, I approached the head of player development and discussed my problem with him. He set me up with an appointment immediately, in Tampa, with an MLB certified psychiatrist. I sat with the doctor for 5 hours, and he diagnosed me with ADHD, and prescribed me 30mg of extended release Adderall. In fairness to him, he told me very clearly do not take a pill until I am 100% approved for the TUE. I flew up to New York the next day and turned all my paperwork into my trainer. He followed the steps and sent all the paper work in. Because I did everything by the book, I was under the impression I was good to go, and took one of the pills. Unfortunately, I was not. The deadline for 2nd year players is in April, not June as I had been told. On the bus to play the Connecticut Tigers, I received an email that my TUE was declined because I missed the deadline. That very day, there were people from the MLB performing the drug test. I still had the banned medication in my system, and tested positive for amphetamine, which is the main ingredient in Adderall. The test results took 9 weeks to come back, and we were playing the Brooklyn Cyclones towards the end of the season when I found out I was suspended 50 games. This is the true story. I am not a cheater. I took a pill that was prescribed to me, and unfortunately my TUE wasn’t approved. It’s unfortunate that my baseball career ended this way, but it happened. It’s over. Now all I can do is tell my story.
I wanted to ask Mike a few more questions about life after minor league baseball and what he had taken away from that experience.
I wanted to ask Mike a few more questions about life after minor league baseball and what he had taken away from that experience.
JH: Can you tell me a little bit about the new career that you're pursuing and how you're still keeping your hand in baseball as well?
MM: First off, as soon as I got home from Tri-City, I had an opportunity to begin doing batting lessons. I began doing lessons sometime in September and eventually I was getting anywhere from 10-20 clients a week. I also became an assistant coach at my old high school. I began my company, which is called Pro Performance Baseball, shortly there after. In January I officially got released and wanted to take some time away from baseball. I stopped doing my business and was exploring as to what I wanted to do the rest of my life. I continued to coach to follow through on my commitment, but at the same time was searching for a career. I had several job interviews, but after realizing I could not be in an office 9-5, I began to search elsewhere. My brother-in-law is a firefighter and he has been trying to push me in that direction for years. I finally gave it a shot, and now I love it. I currently am in paramedic school, as well as continuing my business. I can’t just walk away from the game I loved for so many years, so I stay in it by coaching.
JH: What one memory will you always take with you from your days in the Astros system?
MM: There are so many good memories I have from minor leagues. From Yoga Dan in extended, to having the best roommates in New York (Booth, Rodriguez, Dineen, and Lindauer for a little). Still, one of the best days of my life was getting drafted. The Astros were the ones that gave me that opportunity, and I cannot thank them enough for that. It was frustrating for me to watch the draft. For some reason, I was never considered a prospect. For me, that didn’t make any sense as I just broke several offensive records at my college, FIU. The 2011 draft came and went, and I knew my chances of getting drafted after my senior year were slim. Towards the end of the draft, I told my girlfriend I couldn’t take it anymore, so I got up and left to go to McDonalds. Sure enough, as soon as I got in my car I got a phone call from the Houston Astros scout Larry Pardo. He asked me if I still wanted to play baseball. After getting my Big Mac I returned home and it was a circus. All I could manage to do was walk in, and breakdown. I knew the odds were against me, and I beat them. I will never forget the people I met in the Astros system, nor will I ever forget the memories. I became close with a few coaches in the system, such as Jeff Albert and Russ Steinhorn, because they loved hitting as much as I did. I remember when Jeff would come to town, I would make sure I would get next to him in the dugout and pick his brain. By the way, that guy is a genius when it comes to hitting. Although I didn’t get to play in the championship, my last year in Tri-City was a blast. I had so much fun and we were all so close as a team. Brett Booth sent me a picture after they won and said, “This was for you brother.” Things like that can’t be replaced.
MM: First off, as soon as I got home from Tri-City, I had an opportunity to begin doing batting lessons. I began doing lessons sometime in September and eventually I was getting anywhere from 10-20 clients a week. I also became an assistant coach at my old high school. I began my company, which is called Pro Performance Baseball, shortly there after. In January I officially got released and wanted to take some time away from baseball. I stopped doing my business and was exploring as to what I wanted to do the rest of my life. I continued to coach to follow through on my commitment, but at the same time was searching for a career. I had several job interviews, but after realizing I could not be in an office 9-5, I began to search elsewhere. My brother-in-law is a firefighter and he has been trying to push me in that direction for years. I finally gave it a shot, and now I love it. I currently am in paramedic school, as well as continuing my business. I can’t just walk away from the game I loved for so many years, so I stay in it by coaching.
JH: What one memory will you always take with you from your days in the Astros system?
MM: There are so many good memories I have from minor leagues. From Yoga Dan in extended, to having the best roommates in New York (Booth, Rodriguez, Dineen, and Lindauer for a little). Still, one of the best days of my life was getting drafted. The Astros were the ones that gave me that opportunity, and I cannot thank them enough for that. It was frustrating for me to watch the draft. For some reason, I was never considered a prospect. For me, that didn’t make any sense as I just broke several offensive records at my college, FIU. The 2011 draft came and went, and I knew my chances of getting drafted after my senior year were slim. Towards the end of the draft, I told my girlfriend I couldn’t take it anymore, so I got up and left to go to McDonalds. Sure enough, as soon as I got in my car I got a phone call from the Houston Astros scout Larry Pardo. He asked me if I still wanted to play baseball. After getting my Big Mac I returned home and it was a circus. All I could manage to do was walk in, and breakdown. I knew the odds were against me, and I beat them. I will never forget the people I met in the Astros system, nor will I ever forget the memories. I became close with a few coaches in the system, such as Jeff Albert and Russ Steinhorn, because they loved hitting as much as I did. I remember when Jeff would come to town, I would make sure I would get next to him in the dugout and pick his brain. By the way, that guy is a genius when it comes to hitting. Although I didn’t get to play in the championship, my last year in Tri-City was a blast. I had so much fun and we were all so close as a team. Brett Booth sent me a picture after they won and said, “This was for you brother.” Things like that can’t be replaced.
JH: What life lesson will you take with you from your days playing minor league baseball?
MM: Minor leagues basically helped turn me into a man. My coaching style today is actually very similar to Ed Romero’s. He was great at never letting the little things get to him. That’s also a relevant life lesson. Every day people experience set backs. It’s not the set back you experience, but how to respond to the set back. One person I always tried to be around was Dan Gulbransen. He is so positive about everything. He showed me different ways to look at the same thing. Basically, baseball can teach you about everything in life. The ups and downs, teamwork, being coachable, all of those things apply in the real world. Firefighting is extremely similar to baseball, and maybe that is why I love it so much. There is no price for the lessons to be learned in baseball.
JH: What would you like to say to the fans and friends you made along the way?
MM: Lastly, to my ex teammates, I miss you and love you guys. Everyone knows playing baseball a bond is formed, but unless you are actually in that locker room, you cannot understand the bond. It isn’t friendship, it’s a family. You are brothers, not teammates. Those guys had my back and I had theirs, and for that, I cannot thank them enough. To any fans I might have let down, I’m sorry. I hope you read my story and understand what actually happened. I know once you get suspended, you’re automatically labeled as a cheater. Unfortunately the term “PED” is an umbrella and covers everything, even if it is a prescribed medication. The fans were always awesome. They always supported us and were sometimes more dedicated than the players. It gave me chills when I was in Tri-City and I hit a homerun dead center that game, and after the game they asked me to speak and the crowd began, “Mike Mar-ti-nez.” I remember it was led by the man we called Santa Claus. I looked up, and soaked it all in. Things like that cannot be replaced, and for that, thank you. Lastly, thanks to the Astros. You guys gave me an opportunity no one else would have. Without the Astros, none of this would have been possible.
Thank you for sharing your story, Mike. It's one that needed to be told.
MM: Minor leagues basically helped turn me into a man. My coaching style today is actually very similar to Ed Romero’s. He was great at never letting the little things get to him. That’s also a relevant life lesson. Every day people experience set backs. It’s not the set back you experience, but how to respond to the set back. One person I always tried to be around was Dan Gulbransen. He is so positive about everything. He showed me different ways to look at the same thing. Basically, baseball can teach you about everything in life. The ups and downs, teamwork, being coachable, all of those things apply in the real world. Firefighting is extremely similar to baseball, and maybe that is why I love it so much. There is no price for the lessons to be learned in baseball.
JH: What would you like to say to the fans and friends you made along the way?
MM: Lastly, to my ex teammates, I miss you and love you guys. Everyone knows playing baseball a bond is formed, but unless you are actually in that locker room, you cannot understand the bond. It isn’t friendship, it’s a family. You are brothers, not teammates. Those guys had my back and I had theirs, and for that, I cannot thank them enough. To any fans I might have let down, I’m sorry. I hope you read my story and understand what actually happened. I know once you get suspended, you’re automatically labeled as a cheater. Unfortunately the term “PED” is an umbrella and covers everything, even if it is a prescribed medication. The fans were always awesome. They always supported us and were sometimes more dedicated than the players. It gave me chills when I was in Tri-City and I hit a homerun dead center that game, and after the game they asked me to speak and the crowd began, “Mike Mar-ti-nez.” I remember it was led by the man we called Santa Claus. I looked up, and soaked it all in. Things like that cannot be replaced, and for that, thank you. Lastly, thanks to the Astros. You guys gave me an opportunity no one else would have. Without the Astros, none of this would have been possible.
Thank you for sharing your story, Mike. It's one that needed to be told.
