Vic is Victimized.

[Alex]

Vic Martinez was moved to catcher because back in the year 2000 it was obvious we were set at third and catcher.

Travis Fryman had an all Star year at third, and Omar was still going strong. Catcher appeared to be our weakest link when compared to third base or shortstop.

So Vic turned himself into a decent catcher who could hit. Now, we have a second baseman posing as a third baseman, and another catcher who is solid and showed some hitting capabilities at the end of last season, and no position for Vic unless it is to bench Bard.

Most catchers, if not all, that are considered hitting machines, hit 30-35 homers. They are not finesse hitters, and usually don't hit for a high average.

Vic appears to be a finesse hitter who will hit for a high average. As a result, he will be on base more than a power hitting catcher. The crouching position a catcher must get into before each pitch develops certain muscles that REDUCE flexibility one needs when one is baserunning.

Vic injured himself last year while on the basepaths. I believe this was directly related to his crouching and the building up of a different set of leg muscles. If Vic is a Wade Boggs type of hitter, let him play a Wade Boggs type of position.

[The Crank]

Vic was never moved from third. He was moved from short. Why? Because the team felt he was better suited to catch.

[Alex]

AS you recall, Travis Fryman was going to be our cornerstone 3rd baseman after his All-Star 2000 season.

Omar was due an extension and everybody admitted upfront that he was due a raise versus renegotiating his current contract.

It would be rediculous to "groom" Vic for either third or shortstop in this scenario. Even Einar's contract was for only 10 million for 4 years, so the timing was perfect for Vic to be groomed to catch. Einar could either be traded or demoted if necessary without much financial loss. Bard in the picture has mucked everything up. Laker is an excellent back-up guy.

I want real offense this year.

[The Crank]

So bascially you are saying the Indians assumed Fryman and Vizquel were going to be there forever?

Ok sure.

Sorry Alex you have become obsessed with this silly idea of yours.

[Alex]

Back in the year 2000, it was presumed that both Omar and Travis had 4 more years of All Star caliber play.

You don't keep a hitting prospect such as Martinez at a position that is covered for the next 3-4 years.

[The RotoTribe]

Alex, I like your idea about Martinez. It makes lots of sense to me. But it's obvious it isn't going to happen.

Given the current way things are progressing, the Tribe will have average players at each position. The way Kansas City is signing players, I don't think that will be enough for the Tribe to contend.

What place will John Mcdonald and Ricky Gutierrez have with the Tribe in 2004? Don't forget Mcdonald was hurt most of the year. We should know by the end of Spring Training what kind of shape Gutierrez is in.

[The Crank]

Anyone say anything about the Indians contending this year?

[Alex]

ABSOLUTELY YES!

[The Crank]

I meant besides you.....

I'll take a 500 record and be quite happy.....

[Alex]

Just thought I'd post the following Terry Pluto article that was submitted on Cleveland Live.

77623. Story on Victor by ErieMarty, 5/30/04

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Catching on behind the plate, as cleanup hitter

Martinez developing into a leader for Indians

By Terry Pluto

Beacon Journal staff report

Victor Martinez thinks about his mother -- a lot.

He remembers the day that his father died of a heart attack. No warning, just gone. Just like that.

The Indians' catcher was 7 years old, living in Venezuela, not sure what would happen next.

His mother worked two jobs. Margot Martinez was a nurse at one hospital in the mornings, a nurse at a second hospital in the afternoons. Usually, that covered 12 draining hours a day. She had four kids to raise by herself. What was she supposed to do?

``That's why I have her with me right now in Cleveland,'' Martinez said. ``I don't want her to work anymore.''

He paused.

``I like having her with me, seeing her smile,'' he said.

Martinez says he's ready to carry the load, and he's proved it as the Tribe's catcher this season.

Along with his wife Margret, they spent the winter in Cleveland so Martinez could work out under team supervision for the off-season. That's a major sacrifice that most Latin players don't want to make. They prefer to go home, away from the cold weather and foreign culture.

Not only did Martinez stay, he shed 5 percent of his body fat, added more upper-body strength and mental discipline.

He wanted to take care of business for his family, his team and his future.

``Victor is like that,'' Indians coach Luis Isaac said. ``He has always been a hard worker. He's pretty quiet. He wants to be good.''

And how's he doing?

We're talking about a switch-hitting catcher who bats fourth and has driven in more runs (37) than any catcher in baseball. He went into the weekend hitting .278 with 9 home runs and a .309 average since he moved into the cleanup spot.

``Victor reminds me of Manny Ramirez in that he just drives in runs,'' Tribe GM Mark Shapiro said. ``He doesn't have great bat speed or hit for tremendous power when you watch him in batting practice. Put him in a game with a runner in scoring position, and he brings the guy home.''

Coach Buddy Bell sees a little of Eddie Murray in Martinez -- a disciplined switch hitter who hits for power, hits for average, hits when it matters.

Murray is now the Tribe batting coach. According to Shapiro, Murray was so taken with Martinez that he believed the prospect should have opened last season on the Opening Day roster. Murray thought he was big-league ready without a day of Class AAA baseball, at least at the plate.

The numbers are amazing.

He is tied for third in the American League in RBI. If he plays 145 games, he's on pace to hit 32 homers, 36 doubles and rack up 133 RBI.

Can he continue?

Who knows? But Martinez is a two-time minor-league batting champion. He usually starts slow at every pro level, then finishes strong.

``He just hits,'' said Shapiro, who has watched Martinez since 1997, when he batted .344 in a Venezuelan development league.

Double switch

Martinez doesn't know when he became a switch hitter.

``I always did that,'' he said. ``There was a softball stadium where I lived, and when we played, we practiced batting from both sides. I think I was six or seven when I started.''

Martinez signed at age 17, having been spotted by former Tribe scout Luis Aponte.

``They gave me $8,000,'' he said. ``That seemed like good money.''

He said he bought some clothes and things for the house, gave some to his mother. Back then, he dreamed of being a big-league shortstop. He said he was about 6-foot, 160 pounds when he signed.

``I never was a catcher,'' he said. ``One day, Minnie Mendoza came to me and said they wanted me to catch.''

His response?

``I didn't like it,'' he said. ``But Minnie told me that they needed catchers. And the next spring, I showed up and there were about 20 catchers!''

Mendoza is now director of the Tribe's Latin America development program.

``You could tell Victor was getting bigger and probably not built for shortstop,'' he said. ``He had a pretty good arm. I thought he could catch.''

Martinez thought the Indians didn't want him. Why else would they change his position? Like most 18-year-olds playing pro baseball, he was scared even if he didn't show it.

``I knew that only like one out of 100 players who sign ever really make it,'' he said. ``I was almost ready to quit.''

Catching was hard. Catching was getting hit with fouls balls and trying to block pitches in the dirt. Catching was learning how to throw with all that heavy equipment dragging you down. Catching was getting bruised each game, sweating until you were exhausted.

Catching hurt.

But Mendoza was right, catching would be his ticket to the big leagues.

``Victor is quiet, but he's smart and confident,'' Mendoza said. ``I didn't know he'd hit like this, because he was so young. He didn't pull the ball much. But you could tell that he had a nice swing.''

Prospects are good

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