Confident Martinez Says He Belongs in Rotation

Ramon Martinez wasn’t overpowering against the Florida Marlins on Thursday at Space Coast Stadium. But, in his mind, the 12-year veteran, celebrating his 33rd birthday, did enough to solidify his hold on the No. 5 spot in the Dodger rotation.

Martinez, who began his career with the Dodgers and re-signed with them as a free agent on Jan. 18 after two injury-filled seasons with the Boston Red Sox, held the Marlins’ top lineup to two runs on four hits in five innings. He also had four strikeouts and two walks in his 86 pitches.

“I’m very confident that I can pitch in the rotation,” he said after the Dodgers’ split-squad 4-3 loss. “I just have to wait for the decision to be made.”

After not earning a decision against the Marlins, Martinez is 0-2 with a 4.00 earned-run average in five spring outings, including three starts.

“If it’s not me, I know that I can go somewhere else to pitch because I’m pretty sure that I’m healthy,” he said. “I mean, I feel so confident. I haven’t felt like that in a long time and I’m confident that wherever I’m going to pitch, I’m going to have a great year . . . that I can be in the rotation with anyone.”

Seventy-five miles away, Eric Gagne, Martinez’s main competition for the fifth spot, limited the Kansas City Royals to two runs in five innings on six hits. Gagne had four strikeouts and did not walk a batter in the Dodgers’ 5-4, 10-inning loss at Baseball City.

Dodger Manager Jim Tracy wanted to see consistency from Martinez.

“He did a nice job, but he didn’t have quite the command he did last weekend,” Tracy said. “But it was a situation where you look up and he has five innings pitched. He knows when he has to make pitches and he does it.”

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Tracy said his 25-man opening-day roster will contain 11 pitchers . . . or maybe 10, depending upon roster flexibility.

Carrying 11 pitchers would seem to work in favor of rookie left-hander Jose Antonio Nunez making the opening-day roster as a middle reliever.

“The thing that makes Nunez very special is his ability to throw a breaking ball for a strike, at any time in the count,” Tracy said. “And that’s something that’s paramount in succeeding at the major league level, especially in a situation or pitching opportunity where you’re there to get a hitter or two out or whatever. You’ve got to have something more than just a fastball that you can throw over the plate for a strike.”

Nunez, however, was hammered by the Royals, giving up three runs and five hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Notes

In his first game against opposing major league pitching since spraining his right thumb March 2, Shawn Green went one for four with a walk against the Royals as the designated hitter. . . . Nonroster invitee Jesse Orosco, 43, took the loss against the Marlins, after being charged with two runs on one hit while throwing two wild pitches in two-thirds of an inning.