Edgar Martinez’s Hall of Fame Chances
Debates why Martinez will probably not get into the Hall of Fame.
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Will Edgar Martinez be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame? Let’s take a look at his stats and try to make an educated guess. And then we will look at the most important statistic concerning Martinez and his chances at making the Hall.
Edgar Martinez – his 162 game averages are as follows: 24 HR’s, 99 RBI’s, 96 runs scored, with a .312 average, .418 OBP and .515 SLG.
His .312 batting average currently ranks 80th on the all time list, and 75th on the retired list.
His .418 OBP currently ranks 20th on the all time list, and 17th on the retired list.
His .515 SLG currently ranks 61st on the all time list, and 42nd on the retired list.
Only 19 players in baseball history have ever had a higher OBP than Edgar Martinez. That is impressive.
Martinez finished his career with 2,247 hits, 309 home runs, 1,219 runs scored and 1,261 RBI’s. He scored over 100 runs five times and drove in over 100 six times. He led the league 20 times in offensive categories including two batting titles. He was an All Star seven times.
Anybody who ever watched Edgar Martinez play baseball knows he was a great hitter. But his stats come up a bit short when talking about the Hall of Fame. Also hurting him is the fact that he DH’d for most of his career. But the most important stat that will likely keep Edgar Martinez out of the Hall of Fame is his age.
Edgar Martinez did not play his first full season in the major leagues until he was 27 years old. He did play briefly in the majors at 24 and 25 and a little more as a 26 year old but only a grand total of 246 at bats over those three years. Critical years for any player in terms of getting into the Hall of Fame.
The average Hall of Famer starts playing in the major leagues at around age 22. So Martinez is missing 5 years. If we take what Edgar Martinez did in his first two full years in the majors and average it out we end up with 85 runs, 157 hits, 13 HR’s and 51 RBI’s.
If we multiply those numbers by 5 and subtract what Martinez did do as a 24, 25 and 26 year old we end up with 399 runs, 719 hits, 63 HR’s and 225 RBI’s.
Adding that to Martinez’s career numbers we get: 3032 hits, 372 HR’s, 1,486 RBI’s and 1,618 Runs.
Would Edgar Martinez get into the Hall of Fame if those were his career totals? Maybe not because he was a DH but the 3,000 plus hits would probably get him in.
Edgar Martinez will likely not get into the Hall of Fame not because he wasn’t talented enough but because he was forced to spend too much of his career playing in the minor leagues.
On January 6, 2010 Edgar Martinez received 195 votes for induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame from the Baseball Writers of America Association in his 1st year of eligibility good for 36.2% of all votes cast by the writers. A player needs 75% of the votes for induction so Edgar did not even receive half the votes he needs to be elected by the BBWAA. However Edgar’s vote total was not bad at all for a first time player on the ballot. Again I cannot stress this enough – had Edgar Martinez started playing in the big leagues at age 22 like most Hall of Fame players he would have been a lock in the voting.
Edgar was a player who was clutch as well as talented. You think that a person who has a hitting award named after him is likely to be kept out of the hall of fame? He also meant so much to baseball and especially the Mariners. He struck fear into the hearts of pitchers because they all knew he was capable of that game winning hit. Maybe he didn’t hit as many homeruns as some of the greats or have as many RBIs, but Edgar had attributes which don’t have designated statistics. He is going to be in the HOF just you wait.
he DOES DESERVE TO GET IN…..yea he didnt play defense a majority of his career, but who is really in the hall of fame for defense? Ted Williams sucked at defense but was one of the greatest hitters of all time. Edgar has a .312 career average, if you hit over 300 career and dont get in, theres something wrong with that
In addition to his hitting, which was stellar. He dedicated his baseball career to one team, one city. How many of those current HOF nominees can say that? At the height of his career, he, along with Tony Gwynn, was considered the best hitter in baseball. That alone should get him there, but his dedication and heart should cement it on his first vote. Unfortunately he played for some truly bad baseball teams. Despite helping to set records in Seattle and elevating the DH role into a force to recon with, he’ll probably suffer from lack of exposure and won’t make it into the HOF..a true tragedy.
If Edgar is kept out of the HOF, I will be very disappointed. THis guy was my fav player in the game.
The way he played was amazing. He has the DH award named after him now. The way he hit, is just masterful.
Sure he’s no Lou Gherig, or ALex Rodgiguez, but he was undoutably on of the best hitters in MLB history. Everyone int he game acknowledged that. You cannot sut him out, he deserves it.
edgar fulfills many of the other attributes that the h.o.f. looks for more than any other player of my generation (i am only 31). a complete leader who welcomed latin players into my home town ( seattle), which is not especially spanish friendly.
he is a family man. stayed in the neighborhood. he owned a bar/restaraunt, and was still able to hit in the clutch on day games.
sorry…i know that i am biased…but god as my witness, jay buhner would be in the hall with harold reynolds and alvin davis too…
god love ‘em
Well considering who is up with him in the voting it will be difficult for him to get in. Alomar and Larkin are locks next year. The next year Palmerio and Bagwell are up, there is some concern over Palmerio’s steroid use, we will see if it is enough to dissuade voters. There is still Dawson lurking in the wings.2012 may be Edgar’s only shot at getting in to the Hall, but he has to contend with Bernie Williams and any remaining veterans.
In 2013 Biggio, Schilling and Piazza are up not to mention the steroid poster boys Bonds and Clemens. In 2014 Pedro, Greg Maddux, and Frank Thomas are up. Then 2015 Griffey is up with Glavine, Randy Johnson, even Omar Vizquel is a potential. In 2016 look for Pudge and Jim Thome. John Smoltz will also be up for consideration.
I just think even if Edgar is “Hall worthy” there are still too many other good players who will get in before him. Plus with the cloud of steroids hanging over all stats from the mid-to-late ’90s to the early ’00s voters will look to other factors like defense to determine eligibility.
Edgar is a HOF worthy and should be voted in. He should have been playing in the Majors and adding to his stats, at least 3 years sooner!
Edgar Martinez is 1 of the greatest hitters in modern baseball and deserves to be in the hall,i hope the writers look over him not playing defense for most of his playing career and do the right thing end elect him.obp top 20, slugg% # 61 all time.
PIty he didn’t play in the East where most of the writers watch baseball. I think he would have been considered more of a legend by the time he retired. Oh, well, we loved watching him on the West Coast.