Victor Martinez has simplified his life during what could be a very complicated time.

Does he view himself as catcher and nothing else? Does he have to catch? Do the thoughts of entering into free agency for the first time in his nine-year big league career consume him? Did the Red Sox' contract proposal change his mindset?

As Martinez sat in the Red Sox' clubhouse Tuesday, donning his usual Belichickian cut-off hooded sweatshirt while talking with an unmistakable determination, it was clear the 31-year-old has locked in on his approach heading into uncharted territory.

Martinez has no problem responding to the questions many are wondering about, because he has his answers. In his mind, he's worked hard to find them.

THE POSITION: The former shortstop and sometime first baseman wants to catch. And despite having taken two years off of being a full-time backstop prior to this season, he never viewed himself as anything but a catcher.

"It's never gone through my mind that at some point I wasn't a catcher," Martinez told WEEI.com. "I've been a catcher my whole career. It's never gone through my mind that I'm going to stop catching any time soon.

"That's something I take a lot of pride in and make sure I prepare myself to catch every day when going through the offseason. I've done that my whole career."

Martinez has worked tirelessly with Red Sox' catching instructor Gary Tuck, spending almost every pre-game going through throwing drills in an attempt to turn back any doubts regarding his ability to throw out basestealers.

The payoff has been noticeable.

"I've been working really hard with Gary Tuck. He's been helping me a lot. I feel great behind the plate, catching," he said. "That's the thing I've been working on because I don't think I have any other issues. I don't think anybody has any issues with me calling games."

THE PRIORITY: That said, despite the reports to the contrary, and his love for catching, Martinez won't be prioritizing the opportunity to catch when seeking out his next contract.

He has never won a championship on any level of baseball. Chasing that dream is first and foremost.

"I just want to be part of a winning team," Martinez explained. "To win a championship. Whatever it takes to do it, I'll do anything to make the team better, put the best lineup on the field … What I want to do is clear: Win, win a championship."

And just to drive home the focus even more …

"I'll do anything to make a team better," Martinez added. "At the end I just worry about winning a championship. That's what I dream about and what I prepare for. Every offseason I go to bed with that in mind."

THE CONTRACT: Worrying about his contract status -- Martinez' five-year, $15.5 million deal concludes at the end of this season -- isn't a concern to the catcher. For that approach, he said he can thank one thing: hard work.

"I don't think I have to worry about it," Martinez said. "Everything is out there. I don't have to hide anything. Everything is on the table. I'm just going to go home and prepare myself like I do every year, whether it's for here or somewhere else. Just keep playing until I win a championship.

"I might be worrying if I was a lazy player through my whole career, but I'm not. And I think I have some decent numbers."

Among AL catchers this year, Martinez ranks among the leaders in average (.292, 2nd), OBP (.339, 4th), OPS (.804, 3rd), home runs (14, 4th) and RBI (61, 3rd) despite having missed roughly a month with a broken thumb.

THE OFFER: Martinez' attitude toward his impending free agency wasn't thrown off by the Red Sox' recent two-year contract proposal. That was partly because he has come to understand the process, but also due to the fact he never counted on such an opportunity to be presented so soon.

"That's a business part of this game," Martinez said. "They're trying to do one thing, and we'll see what happens. I don't really have to do it. They came with something, and that might just be where the negotiations start, but I don't see myself signing a two-year deal. I'm young enough. I work so hard and I give it all. I just want to be treated fair.

"It wasn't hard because it was something I wasn't expecting. I wasn't expecting a two-year deal, anyway. I wasn't expecting for them to come to me during the season anyways."

It could have led to drama, but the way Martinez talks -- both in substance and tone -- suggests that the negotiations truly aren't making him lose one bit of sleep, or alter his work day as the regular season winds down.

"I have too much to worry about to be worrying about stuff like that," Martinez noted. "Like I said in spring training, I don't want to be a distraction and distracting my teammates. I can't worry about stuff like that. All I can worry about is what I have in my hands. I can't control anything else. Believe me, I'm not worrying about anything. I've worked too hard to be worrying about it. I'm going to find a job somewhere next year."

Martinez believes he has earned this right to display such calm, so as the days of the 2010 season dwindle, the catcher is going to take advantage of the foundation he has built.

"I guess," he said with a smile before heading to batting practice, "we'll see what happens."