Edgar Martínez

Edgar Martínez (born January 2, 1963), known as "Gar" and "Papi", is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player who spent his entire MLB career with the Seattle Mariners as a designated hitter and third baseman from 1987 to 2004. He currently serves as the Mariners' senior director of hitting strategy coach. Martínez was not considered a top prospect when he signed with Seattle as a free agent in 1982. His defining moment came in the 1995 American League Division Series, when he hit "The Double," a series-winning hit that helped rally public support for a new stadium in Seattle. The MLB award for the best designated hitter was renamed the Edgar Martínez Award in 2004, just before he retired. Over his career, he earned seven All-Star selections, five Silver Slugger awards, and two batting titles. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Born in New York City to José and Christina Salgado Martínez, who were from Puerto Rico, Martínez was raised by his grandparents in the Maguayo barrio of Dorado, Puerto Rico, after his parents divorced when he was two. His parents reconciled when he was 11, but he chose to stay with his grandparents. Inspired by watching Roberto Clemente in the 1971 World Series, he started playing youth baseball at age 11. He played with his older cousin Carmelo Martínez, but scouts focused on Carmelo, not Edgar. He studied business administration at Interamerican University of Puerto Rico while playing semi-professional ball and working two jobs—supervising at a furniture store by day and at a General Electric factory at night.

At his semi-pro team owner's suggestion, Martínez tried out for the Mariners, nearly missing it after a long factory shift left him exhausted. Despite that, Seattle signed him on December 12, 1982, for a $4,000 bonus. He almost turned it down because he was earning more in Puerto Rico, but Carmelo convinced him to sign. He debuted in the minors with the Bellingham Mariners in 1983, batting .173 with no home runs in 32 games. After a scout pushed for him to attend the Arizona Instructional League—over the general manager's doubts—he hit .340 there. In 1984, he batted .303 with 15 home runs for the Wausau Timbers. He split 1985 between Double-A Chattanooga (.258) and Triple-A Calgary (.353), then led Southern League third basemen in fielding percentage in 1986. In 1987 with Calgary, he hit .327 with 10 home runs and led the team in batting average, hits, doubles, games, and walks.

Martínez made his MLB debut on September 12, 1987, batting .372 in 13 games, but the Mariners stuck with Jim Presley at third base. In 1988, he started in Calgary, hit .363 (best in the PCL), and played 14 games for Seattle, batting .281. He began 1989 as the starting third baseman but struggled, was sent back to Calgary, and hit .240 in 65 MLB games. That winter, he played in Puerto Rico, batting .424 to lead the league and sharing MVP honors with Carlos Baerga.

In 1990, he signed a one-year, $90,000 contract. With Presley gone, Darnell Coles was the starting third baseman, but Coles struggled, and Martínez eventually took over.