Player Spot Light: Is Edgar Martinez a Hall of Famer?

So as usually there is a storm a brewing on the Sports Mogul forums. If you haven't noticed lately that forum has heated up and is one of the more active sports forums on the net. So user asianinvasion asked a very simple question ("Is Edgar Martinez a HOFer?")

With me being a Homer or not, Edgar is a HOFer. He has a great line: .312/.418/.515. Edgar was never known for his Home Run power, but he was known for extra base hits, getting on base and his high batting average. He has the one of the highest On-Base percentages that haven't been elected to the HOF. Of Course Edgar isn't eligible yet.

If we go back in time, Edgar was stuck behind some great talent that never made it. Darnell Coles was a prospect the Mariners had some high hopes on. The Mariners and Coles were involved in 3 trades in less than 5 years. In 1986, after the emergence of Jim Preseley Coles was traded to the Pirates for Rich Monteleone. Coles played two seasons with the Tigers and a half a season with the Pirates. The Mariners still followed Coles intently because Presley had fassed out. The Mariners needed a 3rd baseman. They had this guy named Edgar Martinez in the minors that everybody thought was a talent but only talent to be a career minor leaguer. Mariners Management almost made it that way. Edgar continued to hit, as he always did and coles was shipped again by the Mariners to the Tigers. Coles had only one good season which was in 1986, at the age of 24 and his first with the Tigers. Edgar still had to prove himself in the field. He wasn't that good, but just good enough to get the job done. Edgar wasn't the worst 3rd baseman in terms of fielding but he was far from the best. Plus the Mariners couldn't put his bat at DH because he had no power.

Edgar finally broke out in 1990, he hit .300/.397/.433 in his first season. Because of this, Darnell Coles was traded. Edgar only hit 11 Home runs and only had 27 Doubles. Edgar did walk 74 times and the Mariners knew they had to have him in the Lineup.

In 1991 the Martinez power started to develop. He had 35 doubles and 14 home runs. He walked 84 times and his line was .307/.405/.452, OPS+ of 138. Edgar was part of a very young star studded team that featured Tino Martinez, Ken Griffey Junior, Jay Buhner and Randy Johnson. In 1991 the Mariners had there very first winning season in the team short history.

1992, the Mariners traded most of the strength (Pitching) for a talented former MVP in Kevin Mitchell, Mitchell was the one of the biggest disappointments and was later found he had diabetes's. Even thou with all it failure. Edgar had his best season. This season Edgar turned from just an underrated every day player to a Star. His line was .343/.404/.544. From 1992-2000 (not including 1993 & 94 as he was hurt) Martinez numbers .322/.404/.533. (his OBP and Slugging were the lowest in 1992, his next lows were .429/.544. In 92' Edgar powers numbers rose as you can see with his slugging percentage. He had 46 doubles, 3 triples, and 18 home runs. Thou Edgar didn't walk as much (54 walks). If you look at 1991 and 1992, his OBP is about the same.

1995 was Martinez best season. After struggling his two previous season due to injury. The Mariners had a better defensive 3rd baseman in Mike Blowers, Edgar made his change (and history) to Designated hitter. For the rest of his career Edgar would bat almost exclusively from the DH Spot. Edgar was 3rd in MVP, had a Playoff series winning double that scored Griffey to beat the Yankees in the ALDS. Edgar won his 2ND batting title in his career. And set a career high in Home runs, TB , doubles, RBIs, Runs, and walks (Home runs, RBI and TB was broken in the 2000 season) (walks broken in the 1996 season). Edgar hit .356/.479/.628.

1996-2001 were the last great years of Martinez. He hit .300/.423/.540 each season. 2002-04 were the twilight years of Edgar careers. He was still productive and in 2003 Martinez had one of the best seasons for a 40 year old posting a .294/.406/.489 line with 24 home runs and 25 doubles.

I believe that Martinez should be the first Mariner elected into the Baseball HOF in Cooperstown, NY

Sports Mogul Discussion

Baseball Reference Martinez page

Edgar fan page (where the photo is from)