PHOENIX » If you're looking to speak with Kurt Suzuki after a game, be prepared to wait.

If you wish to speak with Suzuki prior to a game, he's likely nowhere to be found.

That's because the Wailuku, Maui, native is busy lifting weights, scouting other teams, taking extra batting practice, lifting more weights and generally exhibiting a work ethic that would push anyone to the brink.

In just two years with Oakland, Suzuki, the A's everyday catcher, has rapidly emerged as “;the best kept secret in baseball,”; according to Bob Geren, his manager. That may not be good enough for the 26-year-old Baldwin graduate as he continues to push himself in areas unknown to most players.

Usually, he's the first in the locker room each day, and one of the last to leave. After games, reporters routinely hang around his locker for a considerable period of time because he's usually riding the stationary bike long after the final out.

“;Nothing is given to you, and you need to figure things out on your own,”; he said the other day in the A's spring training clubhouse. “;I'm looking to be a complete player and always learning. I can't see a moment where I will not stop learning.”;

Suzuki says “;consistency”; best describes his approach to the game.

“;Results are results, and numbers are numbers,”; he added. “;Baseball is a game of ups and downs. I want to be as consistent as I can every year.”;

In his two full years at the major league level, Suzuki hit .279 in 2008 and .274 last season. In the space of one season, his RBI total jumped dramatically to a club-high 88 last season. In the process, Suzuki became only the second catcher in franchise history to lead the A's in RBIs. The other was Frankie Hayes for the 1944 Philadelphia Athletics.

Suzuki topped AL catchers in doubles, RBIs and stolen bases, and was second in runs scored and third in hits.

For 2010, Suzuki may have a chance to increase that RBI total. The A's have loaded their lineup with speed at the top, though leadoff hitter Coco Crisp is out for at least a month with a broken pinkie. Center fielder Rajai Davis is coming off a .305 season and a team-high 41 stolen bases.

For the modest Suzuki, the goal is not necessarily just to improve his offensive numbers.

“;I want to be known as a guy who can do it all,”; Suzuki said. “;Players tend to concentrate on some areas of their game. I'm always looking to improve in every aspect.”;

Suzuki emerged as a strong force in handling the pitching staff.

Adhering to that work ethic, Suzuki, before each series, meets with the coaching staff to go over hitters, study tape and then confer with pitchers.

“;The biggest thing for Kurt is his calming effect on the staff,”; starter Brett Anderson said after going five innings last Sunday in a spring training game against Colorado. “;Guys around here have a tendency to get hyped up, and he knows how to settle a pitcher down and create an intelligent pace.”;

To complement his bat and handling of the staff, Suzuki has developed as a premier defensive catcher. Last season, he led AL catchers in innings, putouts and total chances. He was second in the league in assists and fourth in fielding percentage. Suzuki was rated as the third best defensive catcher in the AL by Baseball America's best tools survey.

“;He is a phenomenal defensive catcher,”; Anderson added. “;I have a tendency to throw breaking balls in the dirt, and he has saved me so many times.”;

Suzuki has not forgotten his roots. Returning to the islands each winter, he said visits to family and friends do the mind and body well.

“;There are many great players from home,”; he said. “;Yep, I played against (the Phillies' Shane) Victorino in high school, and he was an amazing player. I was struck how good this guy was in every sport.”;

For now, Suzuki is preparing to move ahead in a career destined to be sprinkled with achievements and accolades.

“;He is an overachiever,”; Geren said. “;Here's a guy from a small high school, and an area producing not many major leaguers.

“;He walks on at Cal State Fullerton, and helps them win the national championship. That says something about his character and athletic ability. He simply has a strong desire to win and a great work ethic.”;