Mariners Franchise Four Unveiled

Jun 21, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; New Seattle Mariners hitting coach Edgar Martinez smiles as he stands at the rail during a game aHouston Astros at Safeco Field. The Astros won 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

Edgar Martinez – DH

This list would not be complete with Gar! The greatest designated hitter in the history of the game was an easy choice for the Mariners Franchise Four. Edgar Martinez spent his entire 18 year career with the M’s, and was recently named the club’s hitting instructor. Martinez was enshrined in the Mariners’ Hall of Fame in 2007, and the street outside Safeco Field is named after him.

Edgar is arguably the most beloved sports figure in Seattle history. Known for his ability at the plate and his affable personality, it did not take long for fans to embrace Gar. Characterized as a defensive third baseman in the minor leagues, injuries forced Edgar to shift to DH during the 1994 season. Lou Piniella’s moving Papi to the DH role ended up being one of the best decisions in franchise history.

Martinez hit .312 with 309 home runs and 1261 RBI’s across 2,055 career games. Edgar posted a .418 on base percentage, and slugged .515. He was a doubles machine in the mid 90’s, and he tallied 514 2-baggers during his career. Martinez won 5 Silver Slugger Awards, and finished in the top 20 in MVP voting 5 times. He is more than deserving of a spot in Cooperstown, and hopefully the writers smarten up and give him a plaque soon.

The 7-time All Star had his best season in 1995, and funnily enough, so did the Mariners. Gar won the batting title after hitting .356 with 29 home runs and 113 RBI’s. He led the league with 52 doubles and 121 runs scored. Edgar posted a career best OBP of .479 and a career high slugging percentage of .628.

These regular season numbers are all well and good, but Edgar will always be remembered for his heroic performance during the 1995 postseason. On the brink of elimination, Martinez kept the M’s alive in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Yankees by hitting a pair of home runs and driving in 7 runs. The next night was even more special. Following a Joey Cora bunt single and a Ken Griffey Jr. single, Gar stepped into the batters box at the King Dome with a chance to put the Mariners into the ALCS. Edgar did not disappoint, as he laced a double down the left field line. Cora scored easily from second base, and Griffey ran the bases perfectly to score all the way from first base. The King Dome erupted, and baseball was forever saved in Seattle. “The Double” is permanently embedded into the memory banks of every Mariners’ fan, and is hands down the best moment in franchise history.

Next: King Felix