Chipola Alumni Bautista and Martin Reunite

By: Greg Brzozowski -WJHG.com 

In November, the Toronto Blue Jays signed free agent and three-time All-Star Russell Martin to a five year deal.

To the baseball world, it was a huge acquisition, but to the small town community of Marianna, it meant something more.

Chipola College's two biggest ballplayers, Martin, and five-time All-Star Jose Bautista, are now together in the T-Dot, the first Indians teammates to ever team up in the Show.

The 2001 Chipola baseball team featured 13 MLB draft picks, yet is remembered best by two, Jose Bautista and Russell Martin, working together through the start of their long careers.

"We're both foreigners coming to Marianna," said Bautista. "He's coming from Canada, I cam from the Dominican. That always brings a different bond than other teammates.

"We spent a lot of time with the guys and Jose, and we definitely played with passion and played with pride," said Martin. "We worked hard and the whole team was on board. We just played for each other."

"As people coming in from different countries, we had to adapt to a new society, new cultural changes, and we served as a support group to each other," said Bautista.

"When you spend all that time together, there's definitely some bonds created and they last for a long time," said Martin.

"We were really close friends back then," said Bautista. "And after you start playing professional ball, travel so much, and play in different leagues, different cities, it's pretty much impossible to keep up as much. But now that we're on the same team, it's going to change and go back to the way it was before."

This fall, Martin inked a five-year, $82 million dollar contract with the Blue Jays, going to his native country and staring with his college buddy.

"It hasn't really hit home  yet," said Martin. "I think when I play the first game in Toronto, I'm going to get that feeling. But just thinking about it gives me butterflies a little bit.

"I think it's pretty neat," said Bautista. "I don't think it happens very often where college teammates get to be teammates at the big league level."

"It's great they're back together in Toronto," said Chipola head coach Jeff Johnson. "Jose has kind of been the face of the franchise up there. And then Russ being a Canadian now, back in there with them, it's just going to be special."

"I remember when I was a kid, watching the Blue Jays on TV," said Martin. "Not a lot of people get to play for the team they rooted for when they were younger."

"I'm really excited about it," said Bautista. "I'm sure he is as well. So I can't wait for Opening Day. I know I'm going to be really proud and excited, and I know Coach J is also going to be looking from the distance."