J.D. MARTIN CONTINUES TO IMPRESS

When the Washington Nationals signed pitcher J.D. Martin to a minor league contract two years ago, not much was expected from the former Indians' first-round selection.

Though he dominated in the minor leagues, Tommy John surgery in 2005 robbed him of his fastball, and when he returned the following year, he just wasn't the same pitcher.

Although he put up respectable numbers as an Indian farm-hand, they chose not to sign him following the 2008 season and he signed with the Nationals a few weeks later.

He started 16 games for Triple-A Columbus in 2009 (8-3, 2.66) before joining the Nationals' rotation in June.

In his first four starts, he was bad, going 0-2 with a 7.16 ERA, allowing a .329 batting average-against.

But since then, Martin has been as solid as any of the Nationals' starters not named Strasburg. He has ten quality starts in 19 tries and has given up more than three runs just three times.

In those 19 starts, he as allowed just 9.6 hits and 2.1 walks per nine-innings while striking out 5.1. Martin has averaged more than six innings per start.

J.D. Martin will never be a front-of-the-rotation guy, but more often than not, he will give his team a chance to win.