Edgar Martínez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edgar Martínez |
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Martínez with the Seattle Mariners in 1997
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| Seattle Mariners – No. 11 | |||
| Designated hitter / Third baseman / Coach | |||
| Born: January 2, 1963 New York City, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 12, 1987, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 2004, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .312 | ||
| Hits | 2,247 | ||
| Home runs | 309 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,261 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2019 | ||
| Vote | 85.4% (tenth ballot) | ||
Edgar Martínez (born January 2, 1963) is a famous former professional baseball player. He was known by nicknames like "Gar" and "Papi". He played for the Seattle Mariners in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1987 to 2004. He was mostly a designated hitter and sometimes a third baseman. After retiring as a player, he became a hitting coach for the Mariners from 2015 to 2018. He is currently the senior director of hitting strategy coach for the team.
Martínez grew up in Dorado, Puerto Rico. He wasn't seen as a top young player at first. He signed with the Mariners in 1982 for a small amount of money. He started playing in the major leagues in 1987. But he didn't become a full-time player until 1990, when he was 27. In 1995, he hit a famous "Double" that helped the Mariners win a big series. This play also helped get support for a new baseball stadium in Seattle. He played until 2004, when injuries made him retire.
Edgar Martínez was a seven-time MLB All-Star. He won the Silver Slugger Award five times. He also won the batting title twice. He is one of only 18 MLB players with a .300 batting average, a .400 on-base percentage, and a .500 slugging percentage in many games. The Mariners retired his uniform number 11. They also put him in the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame. In 2019, Martínez was chosen for the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Edgar Martínez was born in New York City on January 2, 1963. His parents were from Puerto Rico. When he was two, his parents divorced. He then went to live with his grandparents in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Edgar learned English and how to use computers by himself. When he was 11, his parents got back together. His brother and sister moved to New York, but Edgar stayed with his grandparents.
Martínez loved baseball after watching Roberto Clemente, another Puerto Rican player, in the 1971 World Series. He played baseball with his cousin, Carmelo Martínez, in their backyard. Baseball scouts were interested in Carmelo, but not Edgar. Edgar went to college to study business. He also played semiprofessional baseball. He worked two jobs: in a furniture store by day and a factory at night.
Becoming a Baseball Star
Starting His Professional Journey
A friend from his semiprofessional team told Martínez about a tryout for the Seattle Mariners. He almost missed it because he was so tired from work. But the Mariners signed him in 1982. He got a $4,000 signing bonus, which was not a lot of money back then. He thought about saying no because he made good money in Puerto Rico. But Carmelo convinced him to sign.
Martínez started playing in the minor leagues in 1983. He played third baseman for the Bellingham Mariners. He didn't hit very well at first. But a scout believed in him. He convinced the Mariners to send Edgar to a special training league. There, Edgar started to hit much better.
In 1984, Martínez improved a lot. He hit .303 with 15 home runs. He kept playing well in different minor league teams. By 1987, he was hitting .327 for the Calgary Cannons. He led his team in many important hitting stats.
First Years in the Major Leagues (1987–1989)
Martínez played his first major league game on September 12, 1987. He hit very well in his first few games. But the Mariners already had a third baseman named Jim Presley. So, Edgar spent most of 1988 and 1989 in the minor leagues. He kept hitting well there.
In 1989, the Mariners made him their starting third baseman. But he struggled and was sent back to the minor leagues. After the season, he played winter baseball in Puerto Rico. He hit an amazing .424 and was named co-MVP.
Becoming a Regular Player and Batting Champion (1990–1992)
In 1990, Edgar signed a contract for $90,000. The Mariners had another player at third base. But that player made many errors. So, the manager moved Edgar to third base. Edgar played 144 games and hit .302. He also had a great on-base percentage.
In 1991, Martínez signed a new contract. He won his first "Player of the Week" award. He kept hitting over .300. In 1992, he was chosen for his first All-Star Game. He also won "Player of the Month" awards in July and August. During this year, he signed a big contract worth $10 million. At the end of 1992, Martínez led all of MLB with a .343 batting average. This was the first batting title for the Mariners team. He also led the league in doubles. After the season, he won his first Silver Slugger Award.
Dealing with Injuries (1993–1994)
Before the 1993 season, Martínez hurt his hamstring during a game. He missed many games because of this. He also got injured two more times that season. In 1994, he was hit by a pitch on his wrist in his first game. This put him on the injured list again. Between his injuries and a baseball strike, he played in only 131 games over two seasons.
His Best Year (1995)
In 1995, Martínez became a full-time designated hitter. This meant he focused only on hitting, not playing defense. He had an amazing year. He won "Player of the Month" in June. He was also picked for the All-Star Game. He set personal bests in many hitting categories. He won his second batting title with a .356 average. He also led the league in runs scored, doubles, and on-base percentage. He finished third in the vote for the league's Most Valuable Player. He won his second Silver Slugger Award and his first "Outstanding Designated Hitter Award."
The Famous "Double"
The 1995 season was special for the Mariners. They played against the New York Yankees in the playoffs. In Game 4, Martínez hit a three-run home run and then a grand slam. This helped the Mariners win and tie the series.
In the final game, Game 5, the Mariners were losing in the 11th inning. Martínez hit a two-run double. This hit won the game for the Mariners, 6-5. It also won the series for them. This play is now known as "The Double." It is one of the most famous moments in Mariners history. It helped the team get a new stadium built in Seattle.
Continued Success (1996–2001)
Martínez kept playing great baseball. In 1996, he hit .327 and was an All-Star again. He got his 1,000th career hit that year. He won the Silver Slugger Award again in 1997. He hit .330, which was second best in the league. He also won the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award. In 1998, he led the league in on-base percentage.
In 1999, Martínez found out he had an eye condition. It sometimes made his right eye drift, affecting his depth perception. But he still hit very well, leading the league in on-base percentage. In 2000, he was an All-Star for the fifth time. He hit 37 home runs, his most ever in one season. He also led the league with 145 RBIs. The Mariners made it to the playoffs. Martínez won the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award again.
In 2001, Martínez was an All-Star once more. He hit over .300 for the tenth time in his career. The Mariners had an amazing season, winning 116 games. This tied an MLB record. Martínez helped them win their first playoff series. He won the Silver Slugger Award and the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award again.
Final Seasons (2002–2004)
In 2002, Martínez had leg injuries. He played in only 97 games. He had surgery on his knee. His batting average dropped that year. In 2003, he had more hamstring injuries. But he still made the All-Star team. He got his 2,000th career hit on May 2. He won his fifth Silver Slugger Award.
In 2004, Martínez struggled with back and leg pain. His eyesight also caused problems. On August 9, 2004, he announced he would retire at the end of the season. He said it was hard to stop playing, but his body told him it was time. After his final season, Martínez won the Roberto Clemente Award. This award is given to a player who shows great sportsmanship and community involvement.
Edgar Martínez's Legacy
Many famous baseball players have praised Edgar Martínez. Mariano Rivera, a Hall of Fame pitcher, said Edgar was the only player he didn't want to face. He said he "couldn't get him out." Another Hall of Fame pitcher, Pedro Martínez, also said Edgar was one of the toughest hitters. He said Edgar was very disciplined at the plate.
In 2003, Martínez was added to the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame. After he retired in 2004, a street near the Mariners' stadium was named Edgar Martínez Drive South. MLB also renamed the "Outstanding Designated Hitter Award" after him. It is now called the Edgar Martínez Award.
The Mariners retired his number 11 jersey on August 12, 2017. This means no other Mariners player will wear that number. He was also put into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame in 2007.
In 2019, Edgar Martínez was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This is a huge honor for baseball players. He was the second player to enter the Hall of Fame as a Mariner. A statue of Martínez was put outside Seattle's T-Mobile Park in 2021.
A sports complex in his hometown in Puerto Rico is named after him. It's called the Complejo Deportivo Edgar Martinez. It has a baseball field, a track, a basketball court, and a gym.
Coaching Career
In 2015, the Mariners hired Martínez as their hitting coach. The team's hitting improved a lot after he joined. He stayed as hitting coach until the end of the 2018 season. He then became a hitting advisor for the team. In 2024, he returned as the hitting coach for a short time. He now oversees the club's hitting program.
Personal Life and Charity Work
Martínez is married to Holli Beeler. They have three children: Alex, Tessa, and Jacqueline. They live in Kirkland, Washington.
Edgar and Holli Martínez have given a lot of their time and money to Seattle Children's Hospital. They helped create a special fund for Muscular Dystrophy Research. They also support many other charities. These include the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Because of his charity work, Martínez was put into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame in 2007.
Martínez also helped start a Hispanic bank in Washington state. He also co-founded a company that sells corporate merchandise. In 2013, the Mariners created "Edgar's Cantina" at their stadium. It's a restaurant named after him.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
- Seattle Mariners all-time roster
