Anastacio Euclides MartÃÂnez (born November 3, 1978) is a professional baseball pitcher. He played part of the 2004 season in Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox, and most recently played for the Calgary Vipers. He is listed with a height of 6'2" and a weight of 180 lbs., and he bats and throws right-handed. He graduated from Liceo Santa Cruz College in the Dominican Republic.
MartÃÂnez was acquired by the Boston Red Sox as a non-drafted free agent in . The Red Sox assigned MartÃÂnez to the Gulf Coast Red Sox, their Rookie-level minor league affiliate, where in he made ten starts, posting a 2âÂÂ3 record with an ERA of 3.18. The club promoted him to the Single-A Lowell Spinners for the season, where he went 0âÂÂ3 with a 3.68 ERA before being promoted to the Single-A Augusta GreenJackets. While MartÃÂnez initially struggled at Augusta; over the next two seasons (1999âÂÂ2000) he went 11âÂÂ10 with an ERA of 5.96. MartÃÂnez improved however, and at the end of the 2000 season narrowly missed pitching a no-hitter, giving up a one-out single in the 9th inning against the Asheville Tourists. MartÃÂnez's performance came just two days after teammate Eric Glaser threw a no-hitter against the Hagerstown Suns.
In the Red Sox promoted MartÃÂnez to the High-A Sarasota Red Sox where he went 9âÂÂ12 with an ERA of 3.35. Following the 2001 season the Red Sox placed MartÃÂnez on their 40-man roster and promoted him to the Double-A Trenton Thunder. Following spring training MartÃÂnez spent the entirety of the season with Trenton, going 5âÂÂ12 with a 5.31 ERA. One sportswriter, who considered MartÃÂnez a top prospect, said that MartÃÂnez showed "flashes of brilliance but also considerable inconsistency at Trenton."
MartÃÂnez began what would be prove to be an unusual season with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, but the Red Sox soon moved him down to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, intending to convert him into a closer. In 34 relief appearances with Portland MartÃÂnez posted a 3âÂÂ1 record with 14 saves and a 2.25 ERA. On July 22, 2003, the Red Sox traded MartÃÂnez and Brandon Lyon to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Scott Sauerbeck and Mike González. The Pirates assigned MartÃÂnez to the Double-A Altoona Curve, where he made three relief appearances before, in a strange twist, the Pirates sent him and Lyon right back to Boston on August 1, along with Jeff Suppan, while Boston returned Gonzalez while adding Freddy Sanchez. The Pirates had raised concerns over the state of Lyon's elbow (Lyon would miss the entire 2004 season); the new trade effectively canceled the old one. MartÃÂnez finished out the season at Pawtucket.
MartÃÂnez was a strong candidate to make the major-league team in but was optioned to Pawtucket in late March. The Red Sox called him up on May 22 to replace the injured Scott Williamson, and MartÃÂnez made his major-league debut with Boston on May 22, 2004, in relief of another MartÃÂnez - Pedro. After a strong start, going 2âÂÂ0 with a 1.12 appearances, MartÃÂnez was lit up in interleague play and the Red Sox optioned him back to Pawtucket in June when outfielder Trot Nixon came off the disabled list. Boston manager Terry Francona was optimistic about MartÃÂnez's future: "I think he'll go back to Triple A and be a better pitcher. He'll be back here." Indeed, the Red Sox recalled MartÃÂnez on July 2 as Williamson returned to the disabled list. His return was, however, short lived: entering the 12th inning of a 3âÂÂ3 tie with the Atlanta Braves, MartÃÂnez surrendered a game-winning three-run home run to Nick Green; the next day the Red Sox sent him back to Pawtucket and called up Jimmy Anderson. During his two stints with Boston, he made 11 relief appearances, going 2âÂÂ1 with an 8.44 ERA and a save. At Pawtucket, in 38 games, he had a 3.74 ERA.
MartÃÂnez spent the entire season in Pawtucket, working as both a starter and reliever. He posted a 3âÂÂ4 record with a 5.98 ERA and one save. At the end of the year the Red Sox granted him free agency.
On February 6, , Washington Nationals signed MartÃÂnez to a minor league contract. Following minor-league spring training the Nationals assigned MartÃÂnez to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators, but he made just two appearances before being promoted to the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs, where he went 5âÂÂ11 on the year with a 4.48 ERA as a starter. The Nationals signed MartÃÂnez to a new contract for 2007 but initially sent him to Harrisburg. After six appearances the Nationals moved MartÃÂnez up to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, where he made nine appearances, half of them starts, before being traded to the Detroit Tigers organization for a player to be named later. The Tigers assigned MartÃÂnez to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.
MartÃÂnez made six starts but also worked out of the bullpen at Toledo during the season, going 4âÂÂ4 with a 4.24 ERA. The Tigers signed MartÃÂnez to a new contract in and he returned to Toledo. The Tigers moved MartÃÂnez to the Double-A Erie SeaWolves in June to make room for Aquilino López, but recalled MartÃÂnez to Toledo in July to replace Preston Larrison. He was released by the Tigers on August 30, 2008.
MartÃÂnez pitched for the Estrellas de Oriente in the Dominican Winter League but did not meet with success, going 0âÂÂ1 with an ERA of 7.45 in seven appearances.
After spending 2009 out of baseball, MartÃÂnez played for the Calgary Vipers of the independent Golden Baseball League in 2010.