Russell Martin Pulls Groin, Out 4-6 Weeks

The Dodgers All-Star catcher Russell Martin has suffered a pulled groin, which will keep him out for 4-6 weeks and could cause him to miss Opening Day. He has been experiencing an issue, but what he previously called a "little strain" turns out to be more serious. LA manager Joe Torre says Martin's place in camp will be taken by Triple-A catcher A.J. Ellis.

This has the potential to be quite serious as, especially for catchers, muscles in that area are under severe stress. Said Torre, "We have to make sure we don’t rush something... I was a catcher and I had groin injuries. If you didn’t pay attention, they never went away." That would be the last thing the Dodgers want: even after a disappointing 2009, where he had a line of .250/.352/.329, Martin is an integral part of the LA line-up. Over the past three seasons, he has started an average of 138 games behind the plate, more than any other catcher in the majors.

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