Giants fans don’t notice Martinez

Jeff Kent was booed mercilessly every time he walked to the plate at AT&T; Park over the weekend.

Jason Schmidt was called a traitor by black-and-orange-clad fans while he walked from a taxi to the front gate and unprintable names while throwing pitches in the bullpen.

But another former Giant was virtually ignored, as if he didn’t play for the team from 1998 to 2002, batting .302 one season and playing in a World Series in another.

Ramon Martinez doesn’t mind a bit.

“JK and Jason are big-name players,” he said. “I don’t like to make much noise.”

Martinez served the same role in five seasons with the Giants that he does for the Dodgers, supplying steady defense at several positions and timely hits. One of Ned Colletti’s first moves after leaving the Giants’ front office and becoming the Dodgers’ general manager was to sign Martinez.

Yet fans who harbor resentment against Kent and Schmidt for leaving as free agents when the Giants did not offer them contracts leave Martinez alone.

“I like it that way,” he said. “I have great memories of San Francisco. I don’t want anybody noticing anything different about me.”

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The jeers are disguised cheers to Kent’s ears. He long ago reconciled the reaction of Giants fans and doesn’t consider it malicious.

“It’s a testament to all the good things I did here,” he said. “I really do appreciate it. I actually am grateful.”

Sarcasm? Kent is certainly capable of it. But this sentiment seemed genuine.

“If you could be in my shoes, you’d feel it,” he said. “They see me outside and hug me and slap me on the back. Then the game starts and they boo because it’s their job. They are good people.”

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Wilson Betemit was handed the starting job at third base despite batting .246 during spring training because the Dodgers are enamored of his power potential and his primary competition, Andy LaRoche, batted .175 in the spring.

However, Betemit is one for 15 overall and zero for six batting right-handed. So he was benched in favor of Martinez against left-hander Barry Zito.

“He needs to be better,” Manager Grady Little said of Betemit. “He’s been outstanding defensively, but he has to get started with the bat.”

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Shortstop Rafael Furcal is eligible to come off the disabled list and will do so when he can swing left-handed and make turns on the bases without feeling pain in his left ankle. “I’d guess two or three more days,” Little said. “But that’s a guess.” ... Brett Tomko will not have appeared in a game since spring training when he starts Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies.

steve.henson@latimes.com