Leonys Martin shows off great range and perfect timing to rob homer

There’s a reason only certain players can handle center field. The position requires both tremendous physical assets, like foot speed and athleticism, and combines that with natural skills, like instincts and smarts.

Seattle Mariners centerfielder Leonys Martin made sure to show off all of those traits during an excellent catch during Monday’s 6-3 loss to the Texas Rangers.

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In the bottom of the seventh inning, Rangers outfielder Ian Desmond stepped to the plate against reliever Arquimedes Caminero looking to extend his team’s lead. On the 1-2 pitch, Desmond nearly succeeded. He clobbered a 98 mph fastball from Caminero, sending the ball deep to center. Off the bat, it certainly looked like Desmond was bound for extra bases.

Not so fast. Martin used his instincts to get a tremendous jump on the ball. He was already slightly shaded just to the right of straight center, knowing Desmond might send the ball his way. Even though he played the ball off the bat perfectly, Martin still had a long way to go if he was going to make a play.

That didn’t stop him. Martin showed off his tremendous speed, closing quickly on the shot. As he approached the wall, it became apparent Martin was going to need to use his athleticism and leaping skills to time his jump perfectly.

At just the right moment, Martin leapt into the air, threw his glove out and snagged the ball just before it sailed over the fence.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the whole play was that he never broke his stride. It took all of Martin’s speed, range and instincts to make the play. If he was just a tick slower, or took one errant step as the bat made contact, Desmond would have picked up his 22nd home run of the season.

The grab may not have mattered in the end, as it came during a loss, and that’s a shame. An exceptional catch like this shouldn’t be forgotten. It displays everything you could want out of your centerfielder.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik