Two-sided: the Indians hope to resume their rise behind classic switch hitter Victor Martinez

Across the way from his home in Venezuela is a ballpark where Victor Martinez spent countless hours playing as a youngster. Like so many Venezuelans, Martinez's favorite position was shortstop and his favorite player was Ozzie Guillen. But Martinez was unlike his ballplaying buddies in one way: From the time he first picked up a bat, he has been a switch hitter. "I really don't remember if I hit righthanded first or lefthanded," he says.

Flash forward to 2005: Martinez, 26, no longer is a shortstop; the Indians signed him in 1996 and immediately moved him to catcher. He still is a switch hitter--a good one whose numbers suggest that his comfort level indeed is the same on both sides of the plate. Last season, he hit .283 from the left side, .282 from the right.

"A classic switch hitter," says a scout. "He likes the ball down on the left side and up in the zone on the right."

The same scout also calls Martinez one of the game's most improved offensive catchers. Last year, his first full season in the majors, Martinez made the All-Star team and hit 23 homers with 108 RBIs. His emergence is a key reason the Indians entered 2005 with their best chance of winning the A.L. Central since 2001, when they finished a seven-year run that included six division titles and two trips to the World Series.

The club slowly but surely has been overhauled with a focus on economics since its stretch of domination, and it is coming off three consecutive losing seasons. It made strides last year and would have stayed in the race longer--it finished 80-82, 12 games out in the division--if not for one of the worst bullpens in the A.L. The team's 28 blown saves tied for most in the league.

The Indians are young--lefthanded ace C.C. Sabathia, 24, has been on the club longer than anyone--but their offense and rotation are good enough that the Tigers' Dmitri Young made noise recently about the Indians, not the three-time defending champion Twins, being the team to watch in the Central. Martinez agrees.

"Everyone's expectations are different this year," he says. "We really believe we should win the Central Division."

So far, though, the club has struggled to reach .500, a victim of offensive woes and a 3-7 record in 1-run games. After their first 18 games, the Indians did not have a regular hitting .300, and they had been outscored by every club in the league except the weak-hitting A's and Royals. They also have had trouble coming up with key hits. Even key fly balls. Against the Royals last week, in their sixth 1-run loss, the Indians twice failed to score after loading the bases with nobody out.

Pitching, however, has not been a problem. The bullpen has been much improved, entering the week with a 2.36 ERA. Righthander Rafael Betancourt allowed only one hit in his first 10 2/3 innings. Lefty Arthur Rhodes, after pitching poorly with the Athletics last year, has looked much more comfortable in his customary setup role. Even closer Bob Wickman, a concern because of his recent elbow problems, has been solid since he gave up four runs and blew a save in his first outing.

Martinez has struggled with the rest of the offense, perhaps a result of being a young player hitting in the middle of the lineup and "trying to do too much," says manager Eric Wedge.

"Victor came into his own last season, and we're looking for even bigger things this year, but he's still learning," Wedge says.

Martinez probably has more to learn behind the plate than at the plate. The Royals, who have to manufacture runs, ran on him regularly in a two-game series last week; their backup catcher, Alberto Castillo, stole his first base since 2001. The Indians have no worries about Martinez's willingness to make the necessary effort to improve. During spring training, he often headed to the minor league complex for more work after putting in his innings in that day's exhibition.

The Indians, resuming their early-'90s strategy of locking up young players with long-term con tracts, rewarded Martinez with a five-year extension the first week of the season. It appears that the position switch--not to mention the switch hitting--is paying off.

MIRROR IMAGES

Victor Martinez ranks a notch below the game's best power-hitting switch hitters, such as Mark Teixeira and Chipper Jones, but few switch hitters are as steady from both sides of the plate.

              AB    HR   RBI   SO

Lefthanded    518   18   94    62
Righthanded   257    9   43    38

              BB   Avg.   OBP    SLG

Lefthanded    50   .277   .337   .440
Righthanded   35   .292   .377   .459

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