*Each homestand the ‘Topes Tattler will spotlight an individual on the Isotopes for the new segment, “Touching Base.” The blog will be checking in with various players and coaches to give fans an inside look at your 2012 ‘Topes. Make sure to keep checking back to see who is “touching base!”

We’re at about the time of the season when Brian Cavazos-Galvez get’s hot. I’m talking 3-for-4 hot. The kind of hot where a bunt back to the pitcher turns into a double. Opposing hurlers beware, it doesn’t matter what you throw him, if Cavazos-Galvez makes contact, he’s getting a base hit.

Shake your head in disbelief if you want, but his 23 hits in the last 45 at-bats don’t lie. That means, statistically speaking of course, if you flip a coin for Cavazos-Galvez to get a base knock, the results come out —

Heads, he gets a hit

Tails, he probably still gets a hit.

“So far, knock on wood, I started really slow and have pulled my way out from that,” Cavazos-Galvez said.

Pulling his way out refers to his slow starts, which have actually become a habitual occurrence to the outfielder. At the onset of each year, Cavazos-Galvez has struggled at the plate, putting his early batting average “in a hole.” The worst part is, after ruling out bad habits and mental blocks, Cavazos-Galvez isn’t even sure why he begins each season in a rut.

“Things just don’t quite go my way early in the season,” Cavazos-Galvez said with a shrug. “I’ve been having to pull myself out of a hole, and that’s hard mentally, but I think it’s good for my own confidence and the Dodgers confidence as well.”

The start of this season was when his early struggles took a turn for the worst. Cavazos-Galvez began the year with Double-A Chattanooga, but after hitting below the Mendoza line (.167) through 20 games, he was reassigned to high Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

As the season picked up, so did his performance at the plate. The outfielder quickly found his stroke in California to hit at the .346 mark with three home runs. But he hadn’t really changed anything mechanically. His swing was still basically the same, yet now he was ripping the cover off the ball. So why the quick fix?

“In Chattanooga I didn’t feel bad or anything,” Cavazos-Galvez said. “But when I got to Rancho it cleared my head and was a fresh start. The whole change of scenery and mentality really helped me start over.”

And with the fresh start came his first call to Triple-A Albuquerque. Not necessarily a change of scenery for the hometown hero, but a new chance to prove himself to the parent club. A job, he says, that includes doing anything and everything required of him.

“I can do a little bit of everything and I think that’s the biggest thing I can give to the organization,” Cavazos-Galvez said. “I feel that I’m doing a bunch of little things that can be put together and allow me to showcase myself.”

Showcasing himself is really going to be the most challenging aspect of the outfielder’s season. With a stacked outfield in Los Angeles, plus great prospects here in Albuquerque, separating himself might mean elevating his game to a whole new level. Even with his .376 average on the year.

But to Cavazos-Galvez, the numbers only tell part of the story. He said his call to the big leagues can be largely based on the amount of his success with each job he’s given. Whether it’s leading off, driving in runs from the bottom of the order, playing defense or even coming off the bench, as long as he’s excels in his daily job, he says everything will work itself out in the end.

“You just need to be focused on your job for the team, and if you do your job in every situation, they (coaches) are going to see that. It doesn’t matter if you hit .200 or .400 as long as you’re good at THAT job.”

That’s not to say he isn’t a team player though. Above all, Cavazos-Galvez acknowledged that his number one job will always be “helping his team win wherever he goes.” Well, playing here in Albuquerque really means there’s only one other place for him to go.

“It definitely would be a little bitter sweet to leave here for the Dodgers,” Cavazos-Galvez said. “It’s been special to be in Albuquerque and be a professional at something I love to do… but I’d take Los Angeles every day.”

Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery.

‘Topes outfielder Brian Cavazos-Galvez