Cleveland’s Martinez is happy and healthy

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Victor Martinez is Cleveland’s starting catcher, part-time first baseman, best all-around hitter, most happy-go-lucky player and so much more.

“He’s the heart and soul of us,” reliever Jensen Lewis said.

And last season, the Indians were lost without him.

After playing most of the first two months in unrelenting pain, Martinez underwent surgery on his right elbow in June and ended up appearing in just 73 games, the fewest since his rookie season in 2003. For the two-time All-Star, the time away from the ballpark and his teammates cut deeper than any operation imaginable.

“It was really bad,” Martinez said. “It was so tough, I wasn’t even watching the games on TV. It was so hard watching my teammates in the dugout, watching them bust their butts every day, you want to be a part of it. It was something that was taken from my hands.”

Martinez is fully recovered, and with him back behind the plate and in the lineup, the Indians are feeling much better about their chances in 2009.

Martinez’s prolonged loss — he was out from June 11 to Aug. 29 — coupled with designated hitter Travis Hafner missing several months with a shoulder injury, contributed to the Indians’ dramatic drop-off last season. Cleveland, which had come within one win of a World Series trip in 2007, slid to third in the AL Central and finished 81-81.

But the outlook for ’09 is as bright as Martinez’s smile.

It would be difficult to find anyone who enjoys being a major leaguer as much as Martinez. Whether he’s on his way to the batting cage, strapping on his shinguards or joking around with teammates, the 30-year-old does it with unbridled joy.

New Indians closer Kerry Wood has only been around Martinez for a few weeks, but he’s already been infected by the catcher’s enthusiasm for the game.

“He’s got that feeling we all had as kids,” Wood said. “He hates the rainouts and can’t wait to get on the field to play. It’s refreshing.”

The Indians don’t have an official captain. If they did, Martinez would be enlisted first.

“He’s a very emotional person and a very emotional player,” manager Eric Wedge said. “He’s very passionate. He feels our winning and losing, as much, if not more than anybody in our clubhouse.”