Dave Martinez ended his major league playing career in 2001 and was getting started with coaching in 2006-07 when Shawn Camp was pitching for Tampa Bay.
Martinez was given the reins to work with several players under manager Joe Maddon, who made Martinez his bench coach in 2008 with Tampa Bay.
“Davey would help pitchers for how to stop the running game,” Camp told The Washington Times on Friday. “He was around the ballpark; it was what Joe wanted. He let him be himself. That is one thing Joe does really well: there are certain times when guys have to fall in certain lanes as coaches.”
But early on, according to Camp, Martinez was able to experiment.
Camp went to Robinson High in Fairfax and is a former pitcher at George Mason University, where he is now the pitching coach. He is not surprised that the Nationals’ clubhouse is laid-back and reflects the mode of their manager.
“He is a player’s guy. He is fun to be around. I think you see that in the clubhouse,” Camp said of Martinez.
Camp is happy for veteran players who are in the World Series for the first time, such as Ryan Zimmerman and Howie Kendrick. “It is an exciting time for this city,” Camp said. Kendrick was playing for the Angels in 2006 when he hit his first career homer off Camp and the Rays.
Maddon was just named the manager of the Angels after being with the Chicago Cubs.
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