F-Mart Claimed By Houston

Courtesy: Keith Allison (Flickr)

As Adam Rubin reported earlier today, Fernando Martinez has been claimed by the Houston Astros.

Martinez told Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com:

"I will always be grateful to the Mets, but now I'm an Astro. I hope the change of scenery will help me revive my career. I'm anxious to begin this new stage. ... If I'm healthy and I'm given the opportunity, I'm going to hit. Now I'm healthy and only waiting for my work visa in order to go train in Miami and then spring training. ... I'm a young man. Sometimes they say as if I'm a man of 35 years, but I'm only 23 and am ready to begin again."

Once the Mets top prospect, Martinez has struggled just to stay on the field, battling injury after injury. When he wasn't on the disabled list, the outfielder hit .183 in 131 at-bats with the Mets, with two home runs and 12 RBIs.

He's just another example of how there are no guarantees in baseball.

Could he go on to have a decent career? Sure. Will he be as fantastic as people believed he would be during his time with the Mets? No.

Either way, we wish him the best...and good luck running up and down that hill in center field.