Clint Hurdle: ‘I Believe We’re In The Hunt’ For Russell Martin

PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) – Pirates manager Clint Hurdle joined “The Fan Morning Show” Thursday to put a wrap on the Bucs’ 2014 season and to look ahead the team’s future.

Hurdle discussed the chances of the Pirates re-signing Russell Martin and it should be encouraging to Pirates fans.

“I believe we’re in the hunt,” Hurdle said. “We understand the value that Russell brought to our ball club and we are going to do something to make sure that we make a play, a very serious play, for him.”

Hurdle thinks Martin knows how much he means to everybody involved with the Pirates.

“He knows how I feel,” Hurdle said. “He knows very well how I feel about it. He knows how his teammates feel about him and I believe, how the organization feels about him, and as important as anything, the standing ovation coming off the field after the last at bat of the Wild Card Game, he knows how the fans feel about it.”

He believes that this will absolutely factor into Martin’s decision.

“I do believe it will factor in,” Hurdle said. “Russ is a different guy. Remember, this is the guy that wanted to play shortstop in the World Baseball Classic, and we honored the conversation, we had a conversation. He has thoughts, he has creative thoughts. In our negotiations with him last time, he turned down a three-year deal because he said, ‘No, two years will give me enough time to re-ignite myself and put me in a very good position for my next contract.’ Well, spot on. He’s got a lot of self-confidence in his decision-making process. Time will tell.”

The interview can be heard here:

Clint Hurdle 11-6

93-7 The Fan

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