MLB
2019 was the last opportunity for Edgar Martínez to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. In 2018, Martínez got 70.4% of the vote, 4.6% short of getting in. In this, his last year of eligibility, the Baseball Writers Association of America finally voted him in.
The Case
Edgar Martínez’s numbers make the case for him. He was a seven-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger award winner, and two-time batting champion in the American League in his impressive 15 year major league career. He played the entirety of his career with the Seattle Mariners. His career batting average is .312, with 2,247 hits, 309 home runs and 1,261 RBIs. To date, Martínez is the only designated hitter to ever win a batting title. He did so in 1995 with an impressive .356 average.
Why Did It Take So Long?
With numbers like Edgar Martínez has, it’s hard to see why he didn’t make it in sooner. The fact of the matter is, the man played the majority of his career (9 years) as a designated hitter. He began his career as a third baseman, but in 1993 he was injured in an exhibition game and his hamstring never fully recovered. It’s hard for some people to justify putting a DH in the Hall, when they only really play half the game and only one league uses them. When looking at the numbers, it’s true that half of baseball’s stats are missing because he didn’t play defence for much of his career. However, the fact of the matter is that Martínez’s numbers are impressive and the man deserves this honour.
Seattle Lore
Edgar Martínez spent his entire career with the Mariners, and is probably most well-known for his performance in the 1995 ALDS against the Yankees. In five games he hit .571 and got on base 18 times. He was the reason the Mariners made it to the ALCS that year, hitting a game-winning double in the 11th inning of game 5. This amazing postseason run in 1995, of which Martínez was a major part, changed public opinion about the team and allowed the financing that would build Safeco Field to replace the Kingdome. Seattle baseball lore would hand the saving of Seattle baseball to Edgar Martínez single-handedly if it could. No one has worn Martínez’s number 11 since he retired, and the Mariners officially retired the number in 2017.
Written by Susannah Schmidt
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Photo credit to JamesV34 via Flickr
