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Times: Clock starts now on Edgar Martinez's Hall-of-Fame candidacy

Credit: Rod Mar / Seattle Times

Edgar Martinez is the first player who was predominantly a Mariner over his career to be considered for the Hall of Fame.

by Larry Stone / Seattle Times

Posted on November 25, 2009 at 7:36 AM

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Five years after Edgar Martinez's last major-league at-bat — he grounded into a double play off Texas' Doug Brocail, which is like remembering Orson Welles for 1986's "Transformers: The Movie" — Martinez is stepping back into the batter's box.

On Wednesday, the Baseball Writers' Association of America mails out its Hall of Fame ballots to pick the Cooperstown Class of 2010. Edgar, having served his requisite five-year waiting period, will be one of the names on it.

For the first time (but certainly not the last), a player predominantly associated with the Mariners — exclusively, in his case — will be a serious Hall of Fame candidate. We're not talking an aging Gaylord Perry hooking on to get his 300th win, or Goose Gossage and Rickey Henderson making brief stops in Seattle long past their prime.

Edgar Martinez is a Mariner; some would say THE Mariner (with apologies to Ken Griffey Jr., but he did take a nine-year hiatus in Cincinnati; Edgar never left).

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moooog said on November 25, 2009 at 11:46 AM

Edgar was moved to DH to avoid injury - not due to poor fielding - his bat was that important to the team. Conversely, should a player get credit for being a lousy fielder? I'm sure that Frank Thomas will make the HOF, and believe me it won't be for his fielding. Harold Baines? I watched both players a lot, and Baines was simply a very good player for a long period of time. He never had the type of MVP calibre seasons that Edgar did - how many all-star teams did Baines make? How many batting titles did he win? I would like to know how many batting titles were won by slow footed right-handed hitters in MLB history. Edgar was one of the greatest line drive hitters ever - period. He was an exceptional hitter, not just a very good hitter. His talent level compared favorably to great players like Paul Molitor (who logged a lot of time at DH) and George Brett. Compare Edgar's career stats with Kirby Puckett's - Edgar has the edge in many categories in fewer AB's.

yiseunggi said on December 29, 2009 at 4:52 PM

Edgar has one blind eye and yet he was a hitter for the Mariners. Edgar is one of my all time FAVORITE baseball players. I remember back in the days when the crowd would cheer "E~DGAR~~" ^^