Mariners
Timeline: Edgar through the years

ROD MAR / THE SEATTLE TIMES, 1995 Edgar Martinez takes a champagne shampoo after beating the Yankees.

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Dec. 19, 1982: Edgar Martinez signs with the Mariners as a free agent, two weeks before his 20th birthday.

1983: Not exactly a Hall of Fame start: Edgar hits .173 at Bellingham.

1985: Martinez is solid defensively at third base, but hits just .258 at Chattanooga.

1987: Hits .329 for Calgary and earns his first promotion to Mariners, where he hits .372 in 13 games.

1988: Wins PCL batting title, hitting .363 at Calgary.

1989: Begins season as Mariners' third baseman, but shuttles between Seattle and Calgary.

1990: In first full season, hits .302.

1991: Hits .307 and is fifth among American League third basemen in fielding.

1992: Wins first batting title (and first for a Mariner), hitting .343. First of seven All-Star Game appearances.

April 3, 1993: Pulls hamstring in an exhibition game in Vancouver. Plays in only 42 games, hitting .237.

1994: Spent some time on disabled list early in year, and hit .285 in strike-shortened season.

1995: Regains stroke and wins second AL batting title, hitting .356 with 29 home runs and 113 RBI.

Oct. 7, 1995: Hits grand slam and three-run home run in Game 4 of American League Division Series, beating Yankees to force Game 5.

Oct. 8, 1995: In Game 5, all he did was produce the most famous hit in Mariners history. In bottom of 11th, with Mariners trailing Yankees by a run, Martinez lines a double into left-field corner to drive in two and send Mariners to AL Championship Series. He was 12 for 21 (.571) in series, setting an ALDS record for hits.

1996: Another great season (.327-26-103) despite one stint on DL.

1997: Hits keep coming (.330-28-108), but Edgar struggles in division series against Baltimore (3 for 16, .188).

1998: Numbers remain consistent (.322-29-102). For fourth straight year, Edgar hits at least .322 with at least 26 home runs, 102 RBI, 106 walks.

1999: Martinez falls short of 100 RBI, but still hits .337 with 24 home runs.

2000: A monster year for Edgar, .324 with career bests of 37 home runs and 145 RBI.

2001: Edgar drives in a run for every Mariners win — 116 — in a record-setting season. He hits .313 against Cleveland in division series, but just .150 in ALCS loss to Yankees. He finishes with .297 postseason average, with eight home runs and 24 RBI in 34 career games.

2002: Spends good share of season on disabled list with a ruptured tendon behind his left knee, and his numbers tumble (.277-15-59).

2003: Edgar rebounds, hitting .294 with 24 homers and 98 RBI, then announces he'll return for at least one more season.

2004: As Mariners begin rebuilding, Martinez finds himself on bench more often, giving way to Bucky Jacobsen and other young players.

Aug. 9, 2004: Hitting .258 in what has become a part-time role, Martinez announces he will retire at end of season.

Honors

All-Star games: 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003.

Silver sluggers: 1992, 1997, 2001, 2003.

AL batting titles: 1992, 1995.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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