Edgar Martinez month reaches its culmination this weekend.
The former Seattle Mariners star’s four weeks in the spotlight concludes when the Mariners celebrate his achievements this weekend, including retiring his number.
Martinez has been celebrated uproariously the past month, centering around his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 21 in Cooperstown, New York. Martinez is arguably the greatest right-handed hitter of his generation, and he is just the second player to go into Cooperstown as a Mariner, following Ken Griffey Jr.
And the Mariners continue those celebrations this weekend, with their three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park dedicated to Martinez’s legend. Saturday is the big day as his No. 11 is retired by the team. It is just the third number retired by the Mariners, joining Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 — a number retired by all of Major League Baseball’s teams — and Griffey’s No. 24.
With all the honors, events and memories swirling around about Martinez, it got me to thinking: What is Martinez’s greatest accomplishment in baseball?
Is it his batting achievements? Martinez won two American League batting titles, led the league in on-base percentage three times, doubles twice and RBI once. His career batting average is .312 and career on-base percentage is .418. He was unquestionably a great hitter.
Is it “The Double?” Martinez provided perhaps the greatest moment in Mariners history, when his liner down the left-field line off Jack McDowell in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 5 of the American League Division Series at the Kingdome in 1995 plated two runs, giving Seattle a 6-5 series-clinching victory over the New York Yankees.
Is it his loyalty? Martinez played 18 seasons in the majors, all of them with the Mariners. Only 27 players in major-league history had longer careers and spent it all with one team. Add in his time in the minors, as a coach and in the front office and Martinez has 27 years in the Mariners organization.
Or maybe you have something else in mind.
What is Edgar’s greatest accomplishment? Vote here, and if you choose “other,” let us know what you think it is in the comments section.
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