McAdam: Did J.D. Martinez tip his hand about his future in Boston?

Invoking memories of Mark McGwire seated nervously in front of a Congressional committee on Capitol Hill in 2005, J.D. Martinez laid out some early ground rules on a Zoom call Thursday.

He was not, he wanted it understood, here to talk about the past.

"I don't want to talk about the past or the history,'' said Martinez, while doing little to hide a mischievous grin. "I want to talk about the present and moving forward.''

Martinez wasn't ducking questions about alleged PED usage the way McGwire was 15 years ago, of course, and the setting wasn't so formal that he had to concern himself with charges of perjury. But it was abundantly clear that Martinez had little interest in re-litigating the first six weeks of this 2020 baseball season, either, when he's struggled to even approximate the success that has come so naturally to him in recent years.

He's been among the most prolific and consistent run producer in the game -- until this year. From 2014 through the end of last year, Martinez ranked second only to Mike Trout in slugging percentage and OPS, while ranking third in batting average and extra-base hits, fifth in homers and sixth RBI.

But after an Opening Night eruption (three hits, two doubles, two RBI), Martinez has been a mere shadow of himself, slashing just .218/.305/.387 with only three homers and 17 RBI.

Martinez has been criticized (raises hand) for using the lack of in-game video as an excuse for his struggles, and it's possible he didn't want to fall into that trap again in dissecting his sub-standard season.

With a kind of forced enthusiasm, he declared: "Today's a new day, we're starting a new day. I'm 0-for-0 and the season starts tonight.,'' before, tellingly, adding: "I'm going to continue to grind and just continue to work on my craft and do the best I can with what I've got.''

The "with what I've got'' part sounded like an allusion to the loss of his video cues.

Martinez did seem somewhat heartened by his at-bats in Wednesday's loss to Atlanta when he doubled to left-center to produce a run in the first, crushed the ball to the triangle in center for a long flyout in the third and shot an opposite-field single to right for another run in the fifth.

"I guess I'm getting there,'' he said. "I'm up for the challenge, for this next month, in September. And I'm excited for it.''

If Martinez didn't want to discuss the past, he was also strangely silent about the future - his own in particular. Martinez, as he did last winter, has the ability to opt-out after the 2020 season.

With the National League seemingly ready to adopt the designated hitter for 2021 and beyond, the universe of potential bidders for Martinez's services could double. But on the other hand, the parched economic landscape brought about by the pandemic is likely to crush interest in veteran sluggers.

Put another way: how likely is it that Martinez can beat the guaranteed $38.75 million he has due from the Red Sox over the next two seasons? Not very at all.

"At this point in my life and what I'm thinking about,'' said Martinez, "is not even about the opt-out or about anything like that. I'm really focusing on right now. My mindset has always been on the present and the things I can control, whether they're good or bad in the past or good or bad in the future. I can't control any of that. I can control today and my game plan off (Toronto's starting pitcher) Taijuan Walker and how I'm going to have success today.''

But Martinez went on to say that he wasn't motivated to leave town.

''I love Boston, I love being here,'' he said. "I've always said from the beginning, this fan base suits my passion for the game. When you get booed, I'm probably booing myself more so I really don't hear them, so it really doesn't bother me. I don't read the media, so I really don't get caught up in all that either, which is an easy way to get caught up here. I just love the passion that's here and obviously I'd love to stay here.''

It would be easy for Martinez to be discouraged about the plight of franchise, with the Red Sox heading into last night tied for the worst record in the league. But Martinez sees this as a transition year and doesn't believe the downturn will last long.

"I always think that Boston's going be to be good,'' he said. "They always have a chance to win every year. I think right now, we're going through that period, where that transition of 2018 to now, with everybody leaving. But that's not saying in a year or two or two to three years that we won't be back on top again.

"(The poor season is) part of it. Not many teams can be so good for so long and so consistent like that. It's very rare. You don't see that in this sport. And you can't keep everybody. You can't sign every major talent out there. You've got to kind of choose who it is. It kind of is what it is right now. Think about it, we're missing Eduardo (Rodriguez), we're missing Chris Sale  - those are two big pieces of this team. I feel like that potentially really hurt us this year.'

"(The drop from world champions to last place) happened quick. But like I said, I have faith in ownership here and the front office here and I know they're always going to put a good product on the field.''

The trick will be to finish the next three and a half weeks when there's little but personal pride to play for.

"The motivation kind of comes from within, the challenge of going out and competing,'' he said. "It's easy when you're winning to go out there and compete and have that focus. it's a lot more of a challenge when you're not really playing for anything. But I feel like that's the challenge you've got to be up for. You've got to be excited to test yourself.''

Martinez added that it's tough to evaluate players under these circumstances -- a 60-game season in which one month, good or bad, can determine your season.

"I honestly feel like I would not want to be a free agent during this time for that reason,'' he said, perhaps not realizing the irony of his statement since Martinez himself can determine whether he's a free agent or not.

Pressed, he denied he was referring to his own situation.

But for a man who began by saying he didn't want to talk about the past, he may have inadvertently revealed a lot about his future.