Martin Says It's His Turn
By MONTY MOSHER / Herald Sports

TODD MARTIN has a national senior fastball championship from his season with the powerful Toronto Gators in 1995.

But the pitcher from Downsview, Ont., felt like a spare part on the Gators, a team led by star chuckers Darren Zack, Brad Underwood and Brad Baker.

Since that championship, the 28-year-old Martin has emerged as one of the best pitchers in the world and will attempt to win his second Canadian title with the Halifax Jaguars this week in St. Croix.

"I was a small fish in a big pond with the Gators," Martin said this week. "I think to take my game to the next level I need to go out, put the team on my shoulders and carry us through. I look forward to the challenge."

Martin and Newfoundland's Colin Abbott, a slugging outfielder, are the key imports for the Jaguars. Abbott faced Martin in the ISC final with The Farm of Madison, Wis.

Martin is a long-time friend of Jags player-manager Mark Smith from their association with the national team.

When Smith called him last year to help the neophyte Jags with their title aspirations, Martin didn't hesitate.

"He said the tournament was going to be in Nova Scotia and they were going to make a strong push for it," said Martin, who makes his living as an accounts manager for a Toronto computer business when he's not pitching.

"I didn't play in the Canadians last year and it was something I wanted to do this year. I'm friends with Mark (and) I knew they had Colin already. So it was a no-brainer because nobody else called me." Martin didn't play in Canada last summer because he teamed up with Zack to lead the Tampa Bay Smokers to the American Softball Association championship.

Last week, Zack and Martin teamed up again to lead Tampa to the ISC world championship. Martin, with an 3-0 record and 0.66 ERA, was named top pitcher.

He was also the most valuable pitcher in Tampa's 1996 ISC championship run.

Martin, stocky at five-foot-11 and 220 pounds, has made an impressive return from a groin pull which threatened his season a month ago.

When Tampa played against the Jaguars at a tournament in Halifax last month, he was throwing with no leg drive and surviving on off-speed pitches. Now he's throwing hard again.

"I'd say it's 95 per cent," he said of the injury. "Every now and then I get a small twinge. But other than that, I can't use it as an excuse anymore."

Martin concedes it's been a long summer.

He spent two weeks in Venezuela with the national team as well as the tournament schedule with Tampa.

Only days after winning one of the biggest prizes in softball, he'll be asked to rise to that level in another town with another team.

"You have to find a way to get motivated," Martin said. "I'll be fine when I get out there with the guys. They will be hungry and they'll get me pumped up. Once you get on the field, everything comes back."

Softball can make for some strange situations.

At the ISC, Abbott was a rival to get out. This week, as with the national team, they will be teammates.

When Abbott came up with a sore hamstring at the ISC, Martin jokingly suggested he sit out the final to save himself for the Canadian championship. Abbott didn't comply.

However, he said it will be important for two imports to become full members of the Jaguars in a hurry.

"The only way to win is when you want to go out and win the war for each other. I'm sure we'll fit in just fine."

The Jags open the nationals Sunday at 9 a.m. against Edmonton Express. They play the host Halifax-Windsor Keith's at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

Notes - The Jags play the defending national champion Victoria Legends tonight at 7 p.m., in an exhibition doubleheader in Stellarton. Martin is expected to play, but Abbott's hamstring leaves him day-to-day ... Keith's expects to have imports Barry Penman, Mike Piechnik and Halifax native Jody Hennigar in uniform for an exhibition doubleheader tonight at 7 p.m. in St. Croix. Piechnik and Hennigar were due from B.C. and Florida, respectively, late Thursday ... Keith's has added lefty pitcher Scott Boutilier of Halifax for the nationals.