Padres Go on the Defensive in Left : For Now, Martinez Will Share Outfield Job With Wynne

The Padres have decided to put Carmelo Martinez out of his misery. Instead of playing him out of position every night in left field, they will platoon him with Marvell Wynne.

“I’m not saying it’s the way we’ll do it for the rest of the year, but it isn’t going to be for a few days, either,” Manager Steve Boros said Monday. “I talked to both of them. Carmelo was understanding, while Marvell--of course--was pretty happy about it.”

It’s basically a defensive move. Martinez hasn’t had much luck in left, where he has been booed daily for not catching balls that even Dale Murphy couldn’t catch. When he circled under a routine high fly on Sunday and snared it, he threw his arms up in sarcastic exultation, and fans put their hands together in sarcastic applause.

Martinez didn’t complain Monday when queried by reporters, but admitted he sometimes daydreams about playing first base when in left.

He once said: “I was born to play first.”

But Steve Garvey (a converted third baseman) was reborn there and will continue to start there for the Padres.

Said Martinez: “I wish the fans would understand what I’ve been going through. I’m going out there and trying to play somewhere that I don’t belong. But that’s my chance to play every day in the big leagues, and I’m doing my best. I can look at myself in the mirror after games, and--I don’t care what people say--I’m giving 100%. I might not get to a lot of balls and maybe I’m too slow, but it’s not because I’m not hustling.

“If they trade me somewhere, I don’t want to play no more outfield. I played there because it was my only chance I had to play. I’ve been doing my best. But the only way you can make money in the big leagues is playing every day. How many people make a lot of money from the bench? . . . If I want to make money and secure my future, I’ve got to play.”

Martinez was asked what he would do if he had to choose between playing first base elsewhere or playing left in San Diego.

“I’d love to play here, but that’s a big decision,” he said. “It’d be my dream to play at first base, but this might be the best place to play ball. Tough to decide. But I think I’d go to where I could play first, and not because I have something against somebody here, but that’s what I really want.”

But--according to sources--no other teams want him. He’s hitting .262, but began this season 2 for 19 with runners in scoring position. “I haven’t questioned his effort,” said Boros, whose charts show that Martinez has gained only one pound (up to 216) during this season. “Let’s face it, he’s a first baseman attempting to play left field. And I think for a guy who’s a first baseman, he’s done remarkably well. The way we’re going, though, it’s just not good enough. We have to to do some things a little bit differently.”