Martinez hoping winter ball pays off in spring

ARLINGTON — Rangers pitcher Nick Martinez has returned from the Dominican Republic and he brought back a 23-inning scoreless streak with him.

The scoreless streak would seem to be the highlight of his time in the Caribbean, but Martinez said he enjoyed everything about pitching for the Toros del Este in the eastern city of La Romana.

It was his first time pitching in winter ball and it appears to a complete success for the 25-year-old right-hander, who will once again have to battle to win a job in Spring Training.

“It’s very interesting,” Martinez said on Tuesday. “Every game matters. It was a lot of fun. I had a blast playing there and staying in the culture … just watching my teammates and how much they enjoyed playing. Everybody on the island loves baseball. I had a blast from the second I got to the stadium to my last game. I really enjoyed the culture down there.”

Martinez is from South Florida and is of Cuban heritage so it’s not surprising he felt at home in La Romana, an oil and sugar town developing into a major tourism destination.

“They put us in a very nice resort,” Martinez said. “They love their team and the great thing about their culture is they are not afraid of telling you. You’re never satisfied, you always want to do better for the fans.”

Martinez spent six weeks …

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