In French, Russell Martin Implores Us to Get Excited
I picked this picture of Russell Martin from Spring Training because he's getting a mic attached to his shirt. I didn't realize that he totally has his hand down his pants.
Colleen Evans, charming fan of this particular blog, asked me to translate a rather lengthy TVA Sports interview Russell Martin did in French.
(Just to let you know, it's not a word for word translation. But more general than that.)
The interview video entitled "Martin Defends Direction of Jays" can be found here.
(Enjoy the French Canadian Chevy Silverado commercial.)
Martin, rocking a "Cassius Clay" Dolce &Gabbana t-shirt, is interviewed by a lady whose name I can't find. She seems nice and very competent, though.
Martin first talks about this charity event on December 19th, where his team (which bears his name) take on Les Quatre Chevaliers in a softball game. Les Quatre Chevaliers (The Four Horsemen) are a legendary humourous softball team, kind of like the Harlem Globetrotters. They do things like swing backwards (as in spin towards the backstop and hit the ball with the back of the bat) and take at bats with chainsaws. Complete with bat flips. You know, usual stuff.
Check out some 2014 highlights, They also play games against famous people for charity. Here is another video with more about the event.
It's Martin's second year doing it. The interviewer asks about participating, and points out that he's kind of bad at softball, or at least he was last year. He is charmingly full of excuses.
This is what he said in French:
«Je pense que j’avais commencé le match avec trois ou quatre retraits au bâton de suite lors de mes premières présences, l’an passé. C’est sûr qu’il s’agissait de bonnes batailles, mais c’est vraiment un grand défi en raison de la vitesse et de la manière que la balle bouge. C’est différent du baseball!»
"I think I started the game with three or four strikeouts away in my first at bats last year. I put up a good fight, but it's a big challenge because of the speed and the way the ball moves. It's different from baseball!"
The interviewer moves on and she points out that while he is on vacation, he is likely still training for the upcoming season. She asks about his life in the off season. Martin said he watched UFC, particularly Conor McGregor knocking Jose Aldo out in 13 seconds, which was 'fun'. But other than that, he says he works on getting into form and preparation for the 2016 season.
He then says he can't wait for the season because he believes the Jays are even better right now than they were in 2015. And the fans are excited for it. The interviewer then mentions the regime change (and amusingly pronounces AA's name "Antoupolo")- the new president and the new GM. She asks if Martin has had chance to talk to the new people and what is expected. He hasn't heard from them, but he isn't concerned. He says they aren't supposed to be best friends and that it is a business. He has no expectation that they would call him everyday.
In his opinion, this kind of change doesn't affect him as a player.
(I don't know if this will relax the fans, but let me reiterate: Russell does not seem concerned about it in the slightest. That, or he is very good at pretending to not be concerned. He is very chill here. He's a walking ad for yoga and designer t-shirts.)
His teammates and who he has around him are what concerns Martin. He said the higher ups are going to do what they do, which is try to improve the team. He says he doesn't let it concern him because he has no control over it.
She then says Anthopoulos was the one who brought Martin to Toronto, and that it was clear the amount of respect Anthopoulos had for Martin every time he talked about him. She asks if he was disappointed that Alex left. Martin says that he'll always have respect for Anthopoulos and has him to thank because it was Anthopoulos who brought him back to Canada to play baseball. He think Anthopoulos was proud of that decision.
Martin also respects Anthopoulos because he didn't stay in a situation where he didn't feel comfortable, even when offered a lot of money.
She says the Jays have a great core (she uses the word "noyau", which is a pretty great word) but then asks if Martin is disappointed the Jays didn't push harder for reinforcements (I think she means Price) or disappointed in the direction the team has gone. Martin isn't at all disappointed.
(He's not disappointed!!! Let the internet rejoice! Yoga for everyone!)
He then says Jays fans should just get excited for the new season because of the pieces they have. Martin points out they didn't have Price at the start and didn't even have Stroman for most of 2015. They will have a healthy Stroman at the start of 2016 (good gawd, I hope so). He mentions Estrada, who Martin insists that the Jays wouldn't have had the season they had without him in 2015 (true story, Russell.) And mentions Tulowitzki. He said Price gave them a "petit boost" at the end of the season. (Martin uses the words "petit boost". David "Petit Boost" Price.)
And Martin's not shocked that Toronto didn't offer Price more than 217 million dollars. And thinks everybody understands that. She then asks Martin whether he thinks the team will offer Bautista and Encarnacion extensions. Martin says his focus is 2016 and for the team to have a great 2016. And to won't worry about what happens after 2016. And that even thinking as far as the World Series is too far ahead. It's a day to day thing and that's where success is found.
She then asks him even though they haven't brought in any major players, namely Price, whether he really believes they have what it takes to compete in 2016, especially with the huge expectations. Martin mentions Happ, who no one talks about. (Russell clearly doesn't read the Sportsnet.ca comment section. Which is fine. No one should read that. But Happ has been discussed.)
He says that Happ had a great 2015 and that they have basically the same team for 2016. He also says they shouldn't just add for the sake of adding. He says they have great offense and he likes the pitchers. The tone, in general, is that we need to chill the eff out and get excited.
She then asks Martin the question he, and every other Montrealer involved in baseball, has been asked a million times: Is there going to be Major League Baseball in Montreal again? Martin says he would love to have a definitive answer, and that was his childhood dream to play for a Montreal team and it's still his dream. He wants to stay in shape long enough for it to be possible. She tells him he's still young, and he says, "C'est un état d'esprit." (Which means state of mind, but translates to a "state of spirit", which is kind of beautiful. French is the best sometimes.)
She teases him a little and says she's surprised he's in such great shape. And he smiles and says that working out helps him focus his emotions, particularly yoga. And something else about flexibility and breathing.
And that's the end.
He also did another interview with RDS (Quebec TSN, which is obvious by the way the broadcast looks), which can be found here.
Highlights include:
More about the event. The money raised, by the way, goes to Quebec amateur baseball and Jays Care. Which is awesome.
The interviewer asks Martin who is tougher, the Royals or the Four Horsemen. Martin chuckles and says, "The Four Horsemen are really tough."
The interviewer asks Martin if he's surprised Price went to the Red Sox and Martin says nothing in the business aspects of baseball surprise him. He wishes the best for Price and is really grateful for his contributions to the cause in 2015. But the Jays will take a lot of pleasure in beating him.
Awesome.
He then says he can't wait for the season because he believes the Jays are even better right now than they were in 2015. And the fans are excited for it. The interviewer then mentions the regime change (and amusingly pronounces AA's name "Antoupolo")- the new president and the new GM. She asks if Martin has had chance to talk to the new people and what is expected. He hasn't heard from them, but he isn't concerned. He says they aren't supposed to be best friends and that it is a business. He has no expectation that they would call him everyday.
In his opinion, this kind of change doesn't affect him as a player.
(I don't know if this will relax the fans, but let me reiterate: Russell does not seem concerned about it in the slightest. That, or he is very good at pretending to not be concerned. He is very chill here. He's a walking ad for yoga and designer t-shirts.)
His teammates and who he has around him are what concerns Martin. He said the higher ups are going to do what they do, which is try to improve the team. He says he doesn't let it concern him because he has no control over it.
She then says Anthopoulos was the one who brought Martin to Toronto, and that it was clear the amount of respect Anthopoulos had for Martin every time he talked about him. She asks if he was disappointed that Alex left. Martin says that he'll always have respect for Anthopoulos and has him to thank because it was Anthopoulos who brought him back to Canada to play baseball. He think Anthopoulos was proud of that decision.
Martin also respects Anthopoulos because he didn't stay in a situation where he didn't feel comfortable, even when offered a lot of money.
She says the Jays have a great core (she uses the word "noyau", which is a pretty great word) but then asks if Martin is disappointed the Jays didn't push harder for reinforcements (I think she means Price) or disappointed in the direction the team has gone. Martin isn't at all disappointed.
(He's not disappointed!!! Let the internet rejoice! Yoga for everyone!)
He then says Jays fans should just get excited for the new season because of the pieces they have. Martin points out they didn't have Price at the start and didn't even have Stroman for most of 2015. They will have a healthy Stroman at the start of 2016 (good gawd, I hope so). He mentions Estrada, who Martin insists that the Jays wouldn't have had the season they had without him in 2015 (true story, Russell.) And mentions Tulowitzki. He said Price gave them a "petit boost" at the end of the season. (Martin uses the words "petit boost". David "Petit Boost" Price.)
And Martin's not shocked that Toronto didn't offer Price more than 217 million dollars. And thinks everybody understands that. She then asks Martin whether he thinks the team will offer Bautista and Encarnacion extensions. Martin says his focus is 2016 and for the team to have a great 2016. And to won't worry about what happens after 2016. And that even thinking as far as the World Series is too far ahead. It's a day to day thing and that's where success is found.
She then asks him even though they haven't brought in any major players, namely Price, whether he really believes they have what it takes to compete in 2016, especially with the huge expectations. Martin mentions Happ, who no one talks about. (Russell clearly doesn't read the Sportsnet.ca comment section. Which is fine. No one should read that. But Happ has been discussed.)
He says that Happ had a great 2015 and that they have basically the same team for 2016. He also says they shouldn't just add for the sake of adding. He says they have great offense and he likes the pitchers. The tone, in general, is that we need to chill the eff out and get excited.
She then asks Martin the question he, and every other Montrealer involved in baseball, has been asked a million times: Is there going to be Major League Baseball in Montreal again? Martin says he would love to have a definitive answer, and that was his childhood dream to play for a Montreal team and it's still his dream. He wants to stay in shape long enough for it to be possible. She tells him he's still young, and he says, "C'est un état d'esprit." (Which means state of mind, but translates to a "state of spirit", which is kind of beautiful. French is the best sometimes.)
She teases him a little and says she's surprised he's in such great shape. And he smiles and says that working out helps him focus his emotions, particularly yoga. And something else about flexibility and breathing.
And that's the end.
He also did another interview with RDS (Quebec TSN, which is obvious by the way the broadcast looks), which can be found here.
Highlights include:
More about the event. The money raised, by the way, goes to Quebec amateur baseball and Jays Care. Which is awesome.
The interviewer asks Martin who is tougher, the Royals or the Four Horsemen. Martin chuckles and says, "The Four Horsemen are really tough."
The interviewer asks Martin if he's surprised Price went to the Red Sox and Martin says nothing in the business aspects of baseball surprise him. He wishes the best for Price and is really grateful for his contributions to the cause in 2015. But the Jays will take a lot of pleasure in beating him.
Awesome.