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'''Víctor Jesús Martínez''' (born [[December 23]], [[1978]] in [[Ciudad Bolívar]], [[Bolívar (state)|Bolívar]], [[Venezuela]]) is a [[Switch hitter|switch-hitting]] [[catcher]] and [[first baseman]] for the [[Cleveland Indians]] of [[Major League Baseball]]. He was signed by the Indians as an amateur [[free agent]] in [[1996 in baseball|1996]] and after a pair of [[Minor League Baseball|minor league]] [[Most Valuable Player|MVP]] awards and [[batting average|batting]] titles in [[2001 in baseball|2001]] and [[2002 in baseball|2002]], he made his debut with Cleveland as a [[September call-up]] on [[September 10]], 2002.
'''Víctor Jesús Martínez''' (born [[December 23]], [[1978]] in [[Ciudad Bolívar]], [[Bolívar (state)|Bolívar]], [[Venezuela]]) is a [[Switch hitter|switch-hitting]] [[catcher]] and [[first baseman]] for the [[Cleveland Indians]] of [[Major League Baseball]]. He was signed by the Indians as an amateur [[free agent]] in [[1996 in baseball|1996]] and after a pair of [[Minor League Baseball|minor league]] [[Most Valuable Player|MVP]] awards and [[batting average|batting]] titles in [[2001 in baseball|2001]] and [[2002 in baseball|2002]], he made his debut with Cleveland as a [[Major League Baseball transactions#25-man and 40-man roster|September call-up]] on [[September 10]], 2002.


In [[2003 in baseball|2003]], Martínez was busiest between Triple-A [[Buffalo Bisons]] and the Indians. He finished with a combined .315 [[batting average]], hitting at a .349 clip in August and September with the big club. Exhibiting knowledge of the strike zone and an ability to make contact, he reduced his [[strikeout]] totals and produced a combined .376 [[on base percentage]]. He also [[run batted in|drove in]] 63 runs, hitting .323 with runners in scoring position, and was selected to participate in the [[All-Star Futures Game]] played at [[Chicago]]'s [[U.S. Cellular Field]]. From 2001–03, the Venezuelan slugger batted a combined .330 with 40 [[home run]]s and 194 [[runs batted in|RBI]].
In [[2003 in baseball|2003]], Martínez was busiest between Triple-A [[Buffalo Bisons]] and the Indians. He finished with a combined .315 [[batting average]], hitting at a .349 clip in August and September with the big club. Exhibiting knowledge of the strike zone and an ability to make contact, he reduced his [[strikeout]] totals and produced a combined .376 [[on base percentage]]. He also [[run batted in|drove in]] 63 runs, hitting .323 with runners in scoring position, and was selected to participate in the [[All-Star Futures Game]] played at [[Chicago]]'s [[U.S. Cellular Field]]. From 2001–03, the Venezuelan slugger batted a combined .330 with 40 [[home run]]s and 194 [[runs batted in|RBI]].

Revision as of 23:46, 26 August 2007

Víctor Martínez
Cleveland Indians – No. 41
Catcher
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
debut
September 10, 2002, for the Cleveland Indians
Career statistics
(through July 19, 2007)
AVG.304
RBI376
HR78
Teams

Víctor Jesús Martínez (born December 23, 1978 in Ciudad Bolívar, Bolívar, Venezuela) is a switch-hitting catcher and first baseman for the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball. He was signed by the Indians as an amateur free agent in 1996 and after a pair of minor league MVP awards and batting titles in 2001 and 2002, he made his debut with Cleveland as a September call-up on September 10, 2002.

In 2003, Martínez was busiest between Triple-A Buffalo Bisons and the Indians. He finished with a combined .315 batting average, hitting at a .349 clip in August and September with the big club. Exhibiting knowledge of the strike zone and an ability to make contact, he reduced his strikeout totals and produced a combined .376 on base percentage. He also drove in 63 runs, hitting .323 with runners in scoring position, and was selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game played at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field. From 2001–03, the Venezuelan slugger batted a combined .330 with 40 home runs and 194 RBI.

Showing defensive improvement, Martínez displayed an ability to call games at the major league level and began 2004 as the Indians' No. 1 catcher. In his first full-season he did a fine job defensively, hit .283 with 23 home runs, set a new record for Indians catchers with 108 RBI, earned his first All-Star selection, and shared the Silver Slugger honor as the top-hitting American League catcher with Iván Rodríguez. For the first time since the awards began in 1980, there was a tie at one position. On July 16, Martínez also had the best offensive night by a Tribe catcher in franchise history, when he hit three home runs, singled twice, drew a walk, and drove in a career-high seven runs in a perfect 5-for-5 game.

In June 2005, Martínez was batting .207 but he came into the season's final weekend batting .382 (96-for-251) after the All-Star break, the most for any ML player. He finished the season with a .305 average, 20 home runs and 80 RBI.

Since 2006, the Indians started using Martinez occasionally at first base. In the field, in 2006 he allowed 100 stolen bases, more than any other catcher in major league baseball.

In a four season career, Martínez has posted a .303 average with 74 home runs and 359 RBI in 561 games played.

Highlights

  • All-Star (2004, 2007)
  • Silver Slugger Award (2004)
  • His 23 HR in 2004 tied for the most in MLB by catchers, and his 108 RBI were 22 more than any other catcher

Career Statistics

Stats
Season Team League G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG
1997 Maracay R 53 122 21 42 12 0 0 26 32 11 6 0 .474 .443 .344
1998 Guacara R 55 160 28 43 13 0 1 27 32 14 8 2 .404 .369 .269
1999 Mahoning Valley A 64 235 37 65 9 0 4 36 27 31 0 1 .346 .366 .277
2000 Columbus A 21 70 11 26 9 1 2 12 11 6 0 0 .452 .614 .371
2000 Kinston A 26 83 9 18 7 0 0 8 11 5 1 1 .313 .301 .217
2001 Kinston A 114 420 59 138 33 2 10 57 39 60 3 3 .394 .488 .329
2002 Akron AA 121 443 84 149 40 0 22 85 58 62 3 3 .417 .576 .336
2002 Cleveland MLB 12 32 2 9 1 0 1 5 3 2 0 0 .333 .406 .281
2003 Akron AA 3 12 1 4 2 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 .333 .500 .333
2003 Buffalo AAA 73 274 42 90 19 0 7 45 26 32 3 5 .395 .474 .328
2003 Cleveland MLB 49 159 15 46 4 0 1 16 13 21 1 1 .345 .333 .289
2004 Cleveland MLB 141 520 77 147 38 1 23 108 60 69 0 1 .359 .492 .283
2005 Cleveland MLB 147 547 73 167 33 0 20 80 63 78 0 1 .378 .475 .305
2006 Cleveland MLB 153 572 82 181 37 0 16 93 71 78 0 0 .391 .465 .316
Minor League Totals 530 1819 292 575 144 3 46 298 236 222 24 15 .397 .474 .316
Major League Totals 502 1830 249 550 113 1 61 302 210 248 1 3 .373 .463 .301

As of December 26, 2006

See also

Sources

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