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), known by his nicknames "Gar" and "Papi", is a former professional baseball player from Puerto Rico. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners from 1987 to 2004. He was mainly a designated hitter and also played third baseman.
After retiring as a player, Martínez became a coach for the Mariners. He was their hitting coach from 2015 to 2018 and returned to that role in 2024. He also worked as a hitting advisor for the team from 2019 to 2024.
Martínez grew up in Dorado, Puerto Rico. He was not considered a top young player, but he signed with the Mariners in 1982. He made his MLB debut in 1987. He became a full-time player in 1990 when he was 27 years old.
In the 1995 playoffs, he hit a famous play called "The Double". This hit won the series for the Mariners and helped get more support for building a new baseball stadium in Seattle. Martínez played until 2004, when injuries made him retire.
Edgar Martínez was a seven-time All-Star and won the Silver Slugger Award five times. He also won the batting title twice. He is one of only 18 MLB players to have a batting average of .300, an on-base percentage of .400, and a slugging percentage of .500 in over 5,000 times at bat. The Mariners honored him by retiring his uniform number 11. He was also inducted into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame. In 2019, Martínez was elected into 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 years old, his parents divorced. He then went to live with his grandparents in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Edgar taught himself how to speak English and how to use computers.
When he was 11, his parents got back together. His brother and sister moved back to New York to live with them. But Edgar chose to stay in Dorado with his grandparents.
Martínez was inspired to play baseball after watching fellow Puerto Rican legend Roberto Clemente play in the 1971 World Series. He played baseball in his backyard with his cousin, Carmelo Martínez. Scouts were interested in Carmelo, but Edgar did not get much attention.
He went to the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico to study business. He also played semiprofessional baseball and worked two jobs.
Starting His Professional Career
Becoming a Prospect
The owner of Edgar's semiprofessional team suggested he try out for the Seattle Mariners. Even though he was very tired from working, the Mariners signed him on December 12, 1982. He received a $4,000 signing bonus, which was a small amount of money for a new player at that time. He thought about not signing, but his cousin Carmelo convinced him to do it.
Martínez started playing professional baseball in 1983 as a third baseman for the Bellingham Mariners. He did not hit very well that first year. However, the scout who signed him convinced the Mariners' general manager to send him to a special training league. There, Edgar improved a lot, hitting for a much higher average.
In 1984, Martínez continued to improve in the minor leagues. He hit .303 with 15 home runs. He kept moving up through different levels of minor league baseball, showing he could hit well.
Early Years in the Major Leagues (1987–1989)
Martínez made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on September 12, 1987. He played as a third baseman and hit very well in his first few games. However, the Mariners already had a third baseman named Jim Presley.
In 1988 and 1989, Martínez spent time playing for both the Mariners and their minor league team in Calgary. He hit very well in Calgary, but struggled to find a regular spot with the Mariners. After the 1989 season, he played winter baseball in Puerto Rico. He hit an amazing .424 and was named co-MVP of the league.
Becoming a Star and Winning a Batting Title (1990–1992)
In 1990, Edgar Martínez signed a contract for $90,000. The Mariners had another player at third base, but he made many errors early in the season. So, the manager moved Edgar to third base. Martínez played in 144 games and hit .302, which was the best on the team.
In 1991, he continued to play well, hitting .307. In 1992, Martínez was chosen for his first All-Star Game. He also signed a big contract worth $10 million, which was the largest the Mariners had given out at that time.
At the end of the 1992 season, Martínez had a .343 batting average. This was the best in all of MLB and earned him his first batting title. It 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 as a third baseman.
Dealing with Injuries (1993–1994)
Before the 1993 season, Martínez tore a muscle in his leg during a game. This injury made him miss many games at the start of the season. He was injured two more times that year.
In 1994, he was hit on the wrist by a pitch in his very first time at bat, which caused another injury. Between his injuries and a player strike, he played in only 131 games over the 1993 and 1994 seasons. During this time, he started playing more as a designated hitter instead of a third baseman.
A Career-Best Year (1995)
In 1995, Martínez became a full-time designated hitter. He had an amazing season, setting career highs in many hitting categories. He won his second AL batting title with a .356 average, which was a team record. He also led the league in runs scored (121), doubles (52), and on-base percentage (.479). He finished third in the voting for the AL Most Valuable Player Award. He won his second Silver Slugger Award and his first Outstanding Designated Hitter Award.
"The Double"
In the 1995 playoffs, the Mariners played against the New York Yankees. In Game 4 of the series, Martínez hit a three-run home run and then a grand slam home run. This helped the Mariners win the game and tie the series.
In the deciding Game 5, the Mariners were losing in the 11th inning. Martínez hit a two-run double that won the game for the Mariners, 6-5. This famous hit is known as "The Double" by Mariners fans. It sent the Mariners to the next round of the playoffs for the first time ever.
Many people say "The Double" helped save baseball in Seattle. It created a lot of excitement and support for the team, which led to the building of a new stadium. Martínez himself said that "The Double" helped define his career.
Continued Success (1996–2001)
Martínez continued to play very well in the following years. In 1996, he hit .327 and was chosen for the All-Star Game again. He broke four ribs in a collision during one game, which made him miss some time. In August 1996, he got his 1,000th career MLB hit.
He was selected for the All-Star Game in 1997 and won another Silver Slugger Award. He finished second in the AL with a .330 batting average. In 1998, he led the AL in on-base percentage with .429.
In 1999, Martínez was diagnosed with a condition that affected his eyesight. Despite this, he still led the AL with a .447 on-base percentage and hit .337. He got his 1,500th hit in August.
In 2000, Martínez was chosen for his fifth All-Star Game. He hit a career-high 37 home runs and led the American League with 145 RBIs. The Mariners made it to the playoffs, but lost to the Yankees. Martínez won the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award again.
In 2001, Martínez was an All-Star once more. He hit .306 with 116 RBIs. This was his tenth season hitting .300 or better. The Mariners had an amazing season, winning 116 games, which tied a major league record. Martínez played well in the playoffs, but the Mariners lost to the Yankees again. He won the Silver Slugger Award and the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award in 2001.
Later Career and Retirement (2002–2004)
In 2002, Martínez had problems with leg injuries and played in only 97 games. His batting average dropped to .277. In 2003, he continued to deal with leg injuries but still hit .304 in the first half of the season and was named to the All-Star Game. He got his 2,000th career hit in May. He won his fifth Silver Slugger Award in 2003.
In 2004, Martínez struggled with back pain, more leg injuries, and eyesight issues. On August 9, 2004, he announced he would retire at the end of the season. He said it was a hard decision because his mind and heart wanted to keep playing, but his body was telling him something different.
After the 2004 season, Martínez won the Roberto Clemente Award. This award recognizes players who are great on the field and also do a lot of good in their communities.
Career Highlights and Legacy
Edgar Martínez played in 2055 games over 18 seasons. He had a career batting average of .312, with 2247 hits, 309 home runs, and 1261 RBIs.
Many famous pitchers, like Mariano Rivera and Pedro Martínez, have said that Edgar Martínez was one of the toughest hitters they ever faced. Rivera even joked that Edgar "had my breakfast, lunch and dinner" because he couldn't get him out.
In October 2004, after he retired, a street next to the Mariners' stadium in Seattle was renamed Edgar Martínez Drive South. In 2004, MLB renamed the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award in his honor. It is now called the Edgar Martínez Award.
The Mariners officially retired his uniform number 11 on August 12, 2017. This means no other Mariners player will ever wear that number again. He was also inducted into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame on June 2, 2007.
Martínez became eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010. After several years of voting, he was finally elected into the Hall of Fame in 2019, his last year of eligibility. He became the second player to enter the Hall of Fame as a Mariner, after Ken Griffey Jr.. A statue of Martínez was placed outside Seattle's T-Mobile Park in 2021.
A sports complex in Dorado, Puerto Rico, was named the Complejo Deportivo Edgar Martinez in his honor. It was damaged by hurricanes in 2017 but was repaired in 2021. The complex has a baseball field, a track, a basketball court, and a gym.
Coaching Career
On June 20, 2015, the Mariners hired Martínez as their hitting coach. The team's hitting improved a lot after he took over. He coached the Mariners until the end of the 2018 season. He then moved to a hitting advisor role so he could spend more time with his family.
In August 2024, the Mariners announced that Martínez would return as the team's hitting coach for the rest of the season. In November 2024, he was replaced as hitting coach but remained with the Mariners to oversee their hitting program.
Personal Life and Community Work
Edgar Martínez is married to Holli Beeler. They got married in October 1992 and live in Kirkland, Washington, with their three children: Alex, Tessa, and Jacqueline. Martínez was one of the people who started Plaza Bank in 2005, which was Washington's first Hispanic bank.
Martínez and his wife Holli have given a lot of their time and money to Seattle Children's Hospital. This includes the Edgar Martínez Endowment for Muscular Dystrophy Research. Martínez has also supported many other charities, such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Because of his good work, Martínez was inducted into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame in 2007.
In 2006, Martínez helped start a company called Branded Solutions. He later sold the company in 2010. In 2013, the Mariners worked with Martínez to create "Edgar's Cantina" at T-Mobile Park, which is a restaurant named after him.
See also
In Spanish: Edgar Martínez para niños
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored 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
