Red Sox Beat: Fun Facts on New Acquisition Victor Martinez

In case you were in jury duty or in an area with no cell phone, Internet, or TV reception, the Boston Red Sox followed through with a highly-speculated move in acquiring catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez from the Cleveland Indians Friday for pitcher Justin Masterson and two minor-league pitching prospects.

Here's what you need to know.

What They Got

• The switch-hitting Martinez is 30 years old and turns 31 this December.
• This is his eighth season in the bigs and sixth as a full-time player—all with Cleveland.
• He is a three-time All Star and finished as high as seventh in the MVP voting in 2007. That season, Martinez hit .301 and had career highs of 25 homers, 114 RBI, and 40 doubles.
• He started playing some first base in 2006 and has increased his playing time there ever since. This season, Martinez has played 52 games at catcher and 47 at first base.
• So far in 2009, Martinez has hit .284 with 15 home runs and 67 RBI with a .368 OBP. His walks and strikeouts are even at 51 apiece.
• After an .386 April and a .321 May, Martinez hit .240 in June and an abysmal .175 in July with just one home run.
• He's been to the postseason once, posting a .318 average with two homers and seven RBI in 2007 in 11 games against the Yankees and the Red Sox.
• Martinez is due $5.7 million this season with a $7 million club option/$250K buyout for 2010.
• In a funny twist (at least for non-Indians fans), Saturday was scheduled to be Victor Martinez Bobblehead Night at Jacobs Field. At last word, the team was still planning to give out the item to every fan in attendance.

What They Gave Up

Justin Masterson: A 6'6" right-hander, Masterson was a starter in the minors before getting the call to Boston to join the bullpen with some occasional spot starts.

In 2008, he went 6-5 with a stellar 3.16 ERA in 36 games with 68 Ks and 40 walks in 88.1 innings. He shined in the postseason with a 1.86 ERA in nine appearances, fanning nine in 9.2 innings of work.

This season, the 24-year-old Masterson is 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 31 games. He struck out 67 and walked just 25 in 72 innings.

Nick Hagadone: A 23-year-old pitching prospect that had just started in Single-A Greenville this season after Tommy John surgery in June 2008.

For more on Hagadone, click here.

Bryan Price: A 6'4" right-hander, Price is a marginal prospect and hasn't been having much luck in any of his Single-A stops this season. In 19 games with Greenville and Salem, Price is 4-8 with a 4.68 ERA. He does have 97 Ks to just 31 walks however.

For more on Price, click here.

Josh Nason writes for Small White Ball, a New England-based sports and media blog that has contributed to Bleacher Report since 2008. Reach him via Twitter or at josh [at] smallwhiteball [dot-com].