Midwest League Profile

Designated Hitter

The Mariners signed Edgar Martinez to a free agent contract late in 1982. Edgar was nearly 20 at the time, attending college in Puerto Rico. He played the next summer in the Northwest League, and was assigned to the Wausau Timbers for the 1984 season.

Wausau's new third baseman had a very good season:

 avg   g  ab  r   h 2b 3b hr rbi bb so sb
.303 126 433 72 131 32  2 15  66 84 57 11

That was a fine season, but didn't win him any post-season honors. He was the second-best player on his team (this part of the story sounds familiar) and started for the Southern Division in the mid-season All-Star game.

Martinez would spend several years in the minors before finally sticking with the Seattle club in 1990. Since Piniella's arrival as the Mariners' manager, Edgar's been primarily used as a Designated Hitter.

Edgar Martinez is history's greatest Designated Hitter. Some believe he's been Seattle's best player over the past decade--Junior, the Big Unit, A-Rod, and Ichiro notwithstanding. When the time comes, he'll get Hall of Fame votes. Perhaps he's earned a plaque.

Edgar Martinez' major league career.

This profile originated as the May 15, 1999, Midwest League Tidbit on the Midwest League Mailing List.