Revamped Martinez Sturgeon Eye Playoff Berth in 2024

Martinez's professional baseball team kicks off the season Wednesday evening at Waterfront Park against defending league champion San Rafael

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By David Scholz

If imitation is the sincerest former of flattery, the revamped Martinez Sturgeon roster for 2024 has taken a page out of the league champion’s playbook to hopefully get over the hump.

A year ago, Martinez came within a couple of wins down the stretch of locking up the fourth and final playoff spot in the Pacific Division of the Pecos League of Professional Baseball. So, second-year Manager Matt Repplinger used this past offseason to fill in some glaring holes that hopefully will be the difference.

Pitching was a notable area after a season of high-scoring affairs that saw the Sturgeon on the losing end as many times as not. While Martinez led the league in the categories like home runs, on-base percentage and batting average, the pitching didn’t level up to hold down opposing offenses as the Sturgeon finished the season with a 25-24 record.

Repplinger looked to the 42-8 San Rafael Pacifics for inspiration and made more pitching his goal.

“Not just more arms but quality arms,” he said.

Where the 2023 campaign saw Martinez with a murderers’ row on offense, Repplinger sees “a more well-rounded” roster in 2024 that features more pitching and sticking with the formula of having the right guys playing in the field.

“I definitely believe the team we are starting with is better, and that is saying a lot,” Repplinger said. “It bodes well for 2024.”

The Sturgeon play at Joe DiMaggio Field at the Martinez waterfront.