Edgar Martinez optimistic about HOF chances after jump in voting
Jan 18, 2017, 5:29 PM
Edgar Martinez: "The jump is encouraging. I still have a few years to go." (AP)
(AP)
Edgar Martinez had hoped to get 60 percent in this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame vote, but Edgar being Edgar, he had little trouble finding the upside of the 58.6 percent he did get.
“At least I am closer to 60 than 55,” he said with the familiar lilt in his voice confirming his optimism. “The jump is encouraging. I still have a few years to go. I think it is moving in the right direction.”
In 2017, Martinez will be a spectator rather than a participant in the induction ceremonies in Cooperstown. And he believes the three who will be on the stage – Ivan Rodriguez, Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines – are very deserving of the honor.
“Pudge, obviously one of the best catchers in the game. First ballot, he definitely was a Hall of Famer,” he said of Rodriguez. “Jeff Bagwell, also dominated at his position and had an amazing career. Tim Raines, he had an outstanding career, one of the best leadoff hitters in the game. I congratulate the three of them. It will be fun to watch them when they get inducted this year.”
Martinez learned of the news watching TV from his home in Bellevue. He did not believe that he would make a big enough jump from the 43.4 percent of the vote he gathered last year to the required 75 percent to be inducted, but he knew things had been trending in the right direction for him. That includes not just his own career, but the validity of full-time designated hitters that has been a stumbling block for some voters.
“It appears that the argument about DH, people feel more comfortable about it,” he said. “I think that it has been more discussion about my situation, there’s been almost like a debate about it. People take a different look at the DH. They look more at sabermetric numbers and take into consideration all those numbers and it seems to me it is helping my case.”
He is deeply appreciative of the effort to promote his case, which will be on the ballot for just two more years.
“I thank everyone,” he said. “The Mariners have done a great job helping getting the information to the writers. All the fans, I have seen some of the things on Twitter, a lot of the fans are supportive. I thank all of them and appreciate what they are doing. Hopefully it happens in the next two years. It was an honor to play here and it is a little humbling to see the support of the fans that they want me to get in really bad. I’m just almost at a loss for words.”
