Victor Martinez
Born: 12/23/1978 in Ciudad Bolivar, Bolivar, Venezuela
MLB Debut: 2002-09-10 | Final Game: 2018-09-22
Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 235 lbs
Full name: Victor Jesus Martinez
Biography
Victor Martinez was a prominent figure in Major League Baseball, known for his exceptional hitting prowess and versatility as a position player. Born in 1978, he played from 2002 to 2018, amassing a career total of 1,973 games. Over his 16-year career, Martinez recorded 2,153 hits, 246 home runs, and 1,178 RBIs, finishing with an impressive batting average of .295. His offensive skills were complemented by a solid understanding of the game, making him a reliable player in clutch situations. Throughout his career, he was selected as an All-Star five times, highlighting his status as one of the elite hitters of his era.
Martinez's career unfolded during a period marked by offensive explosion in baseball, where hitters sought to take advantage of more favorable hitting conditions. He was known for his disciplined approach at the plate, combining power with a keen eye for pitches, which contributed to his high batting average and run production. As a switch-hitter, he provided flexibility and a unique challenge for opposing pitchers. His contributions to teams like the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians cemented his legacy as a key player in the landscape of 21st-century baseball. Ultimately, Martinez left an indelible mark on the game, celebrated for both his achievements and his sportsmanship.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 7297 | 914 | 2153 | 423 | 3 | 246 | 1178 | 7 | 730 | 891 | 0.295 | 0.360 | 0.455 | 0.815 | 16091.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | CLE | AL | 12 | 32 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0.281 | 0.0 |
| 2003 | CLE | AL | 49 | 159 | 15 | 46 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 1 | 13 | 21 | 0.289 | -241.6 |
| 2004 | CLE | AL | 141 | 520 | 77 | 147 | 38 | 1 | 23 | 108 | 0 | 60 | 69 | 0.283 | 1257.2 |
| 2005 | CLE | AL | 147 | 547 | 73 | 167 | 33 | 0 | 20 | 80 | 0 | 63 | 78 | 0.305 | 1701.3 |
| 2006 | CLE | AL | 153 | 572 | 82 | 181 | 37 | 0 | 16 | 93 | 0 | 71 | 78 | 0.316 | 1605.0 |
| 2007 | CLE | AL | 147 | 562 | 78 | 169 | 40 | 0 | 25 | 114 | 0 | 62 | 76 | 0.301 | 1901.0 |
| 2008 | CLE | AL | 73 | 266 | 30 | 74 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 0 | 24 | 32 | 0.278 | -298.1 |
| 2009 | BOS | AL | 56 | 211 | 32 | 71 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 41 | 1 | 24 | 23 | 0.336 | 884.4 |
| 2009 | CLE | AL | 99 | 377 | 56 | 107 | 21 | 1 | 15 | 67 | 0 | 51 | 51 | 0.284 | 884.4 |
| 2010 | BOS | AL | 127 | 493 | 64 | 149 | 32 | 1 | 20 | 79 | 1 | 40 | 52 | 0.302 | 1449.9 |
| 2011 | DET | AL | 145 | 540 | 76 | 178 | 40 | 0 | 12 | 103 | 1 | 46 | 51 | 0.330 | 1988.0 |
| 2013 | DET | AL | 159 | 605 | 68 | 182 | 36 | 0 | 14 | 83 | 0 | 54 | 62 | 0.301 | 1240.7 |
| 2014 | DET | AL | 151 | 561 | 87 | 188 | 33 | 0 | 32 | 103 | 3 | 70 | 42 | 0.335 | 4497.2 |
| 2015 | DET | AL | 120 | 440 | 39 | 108 | 20 | 0 | 11 | 64 | 0 | 31 | 52 | 0.245 | -659.8 |
| 2016 | DET | AL | 154 | 553 | 65 | 160 | 22 | 0 | 27 | 86 | 0 | 50 | 90 | 0.289 | 1417.2 |
| 2017 | DET | AL | 107 | 392 | 38 | 100 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 47 | 0 | 36 | 63 | 0.255 | -475.6 |
| 2018 | DET | AL | 133 | 467 | 32 | 117 | 21 | 0 | 9 | 54 | 0 | 32 | 49 | 0.251 | -1033.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 149 | 22 | 47 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 22 | 11 | 23 | 0.315 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | ALDS2 | DET | 3 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0.333 |
| 2013 | ALDS2 | DET | 5 | 20 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.450 |
| 2013 | ALCS | DET | 6 | 22 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0.364 |
| 2011 | ALDS1 | DET | 5 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0.222 |
| 2011 | ALCS | DET | 6 | 22 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0.273 |
| 2009 | ALDS2 | BOS | 3 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0.182 |
| 2007 | ALDS2 | CLE | 4 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0.353 |
| 2007 | ALCS | CLE | 7 | 27 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 0.296 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 214 | 196 | 1513 | 101 | 11 | 155 |
| C | 858 | 828 | 5375 | 347 | 42 | 43 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | CLE | C | 9 | 7 | 55 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 | CLE | C | 40 | 40 | 231 | 23 | 1 | 2 |
| 2004 | CLE | C | 132 | 124 | 865 | 61 | 6 | 11 |
| 2005 | CLE | C | 142 | 139 | 904 | 58 | 5 | 6 |
| 2006 | CLE | C | 133 | 127 | 753 | 45 | 8 | 7 |
| 2006 | CLE | 1B | 22 | 19 | 149 | 5 | 0 | 15 |
| 2007 | CLE | C | 121 | 118 | 779 | 53 | 4 | 8 |
| 2007 | CLE | 1B | 30 | 24 | 187 | 13 | 1 | 18 |
| 2008 | CLE | C | 55 | 54 | 328 | 16 | 3 | 1 |
| 2008 | CLE | 1B | 10 | 9 | 82 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 2009 | BOS | C | 33 | 31 | 215 | 8 | 4 | 1 |
| 2009 | BOS | 1B | 23 | 22 | 160 | 3 | 0 | 14 |
| 2009 | CLE | C | 52 | 51 | 285 | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| 2009 | CLE | 1B | 47 | 44 | 348 | 17 | 3 | 41 |
| 2010 | BOS | C | 110 | 106 | 778 | 44 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010 | BOS | 1B | 14 | 12 | 95 | 14 | 2 | 10 |
| 2011 | DET | C | 26 | 26 | 141 | 17 | 2 | 3 |
| 2011 | DET | 1B | 6 | 6 | 38 | 10 | 0 | 4 |
| 2013 | DET | C | 3 | 3 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | DET | 1B | 11 | 11 | 85 | 14 | 0 | 3 |
| 2014 | DET | C | 2 | 2 | 23 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014 | DET | 1B | 35 | 33 | 251 | 16 | 3 | 24 |
| 2015 | DET | 1B | 10 | 10 | 81 | 5 | 1 | 13 |
| 2016 | DET | 1B | 5 | 5 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2018 | DET | 1B | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 858 |
| First Base | 214 |
| Designated Hitter | 869 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Player of the Week | Week of 2016-04-30 |
| 2014 | Outstanding DH Award | |
| 2014 | Player of the Month | August |
| 2014 | Silver Slugger | DH |
| 2011 | Player of the Week | Week of 2011-05-15 |
| 2005 | Player of the Week | Week of 2005-08-27 |
| 2004 | Player of the Week | Week of 2004-07-17 |
| 2004 | Player of the Week | Week of 2004-05-15 |
| 2004 | Silver Slugger | C |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | DET | AL | $18,000,000 |
| 2015 | DET | AL | $14,000,000 |
| 2014 | DET | AL | $12,000,000 |
| 2013 | DET | AL | $13,000,000 |
| 2012 | DET | AL | $13,000,000 |
| 2011 | DET | AL | $12,000,000 |
| 2010 | BOS | AL | $7,700,000 |
| 2009 | CLE | AL | $5,900,000 |
| 2008 | CLE | AL | $4,450,000 |
| 2007 | CLE | AL | $3,200,000 |
| 2006 | CLE | AL | $1,000,000 |
| 2005 | CLE | AL | $372,100 |
| 2004 | CLE | AL | $304,500 |
| Total Career Earnings | $104,926,600 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 2nd | 229.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2011 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 15th | 7.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 2009 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 4.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 2007 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 7th | 103.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 2005 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 5.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 2004 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 4.0 | 392 | 0 |