truebluefan

From his home in the Dominican Republic, Indians rookie third baseman Andy Marte heard the rumors he was about to be traded to the Devil Rays.

Tampa Bay coveted the young third baseman, but the Rays could never complete a deal with the Braves to acquire him in the offseason. He ended up in Cleveland - via Boston - and in Saturday's 5-3 Rays' loss to Cleveland, Marte showed the Rays a close look at the blossoming prospect they nearly had.

"I just tried to stay focused [during the rumors]," Marte said. "In the offseason, the news in the Dominican was that the Devil Rays wanted me.

"But I just needed to get a chance go play here in the major leagues, no matter what team."

Marte, 22, had two hits Saturday, including a run-scoring double in the eighth that gave the Indians an insurance run.

He also made a pair of nice plays in the field, making a diving play on Ben Zobrist's liner to end the fifth and barehanding a Carl Crawford bunt to throw out the speedy left fielder to open the sixth.

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