11 Days of Edgar: The Doubles
Day 1: Seattle Icon
Day 2: Postseason Hero
Day 3: By the Numbers
Day 4: The Yankee Killer
Edgar Martinez’s most well-known hit is perhaps The Double. A low line drive inside the bag at 3rd and into the left-field corner, scoring Joey Cora and Ken Griffey Jr. to take the Mariners from trailing the Yankees 5–4 in the bottom of the 11th inning to being walk-off winners in Game 5 of the 1995 American League Division Series.
Edgar is also well-known for the frequency and authority with which he hit doubles over the course of his 18 Major League seasons, spraying the ball to all fields with power. He totaled 514 doubles in his career, most all-time by a Mariner and 11th-most by a right-handed batter since his debut in 1987. He doubled in 460 of his 2,055 career games, or approximately 22 percent of his total games.
He recorded his 500th career double on May 7, 2004 vs. the Yankees, at the time becoming the 39th player in modern history to collect 500 doubles.
Edgar led the American League in doubles twice, collecting 46 doubles in 1992 and posting his first of back-to-back seasons with 52 doubles in 1995. He also won the AL batting title in each of those two seasons.
He is one of 9 players in MLB history — and one of 4 players in AL history — to post 50-or-more doubles in consecutive seasons. Edgar is joined by Tris Speaker, George Burns, Billy Herman, Joe Medwick, Craig Biggio, Todd Helton, Albert Pujols and Brian Roberts.
Consecutive Seasons with 50 Doubles
Tris Speaker, 1920–21
George Burns, 1926–27
Billy Herman, 1935–36
Joe Medwick, 1936–37
Edgar Martinez, 1995–96
Craig Biggio, 1998–99
Todd Helton, 2000–01
Albert Pujols, 2003–04
Brian Roberts, 2008–09
From 1995-to-2001, Edgar led the Majors with 291 doubles during that time span. He was the only American Leaguer — and one of three Major Leaguers — to hit at least 30 doubles in each of those 7 seasons. He was joined by Dante Bichette and Mark Grace.
Edgar owns 5 of the 15 individual seasons in club history with at least 40 doubles. No other Mariner has more than 2 such seasons.
Most Seasons with 40+ Doubles for the Mariners
Edgar Martinez, 5
Jose Lopez, 2
Alex Rodriguez, 2
6 players, 1
Four of Edgar’s 5 seasons with 40-plus doubles came in his age-32 season and older as he clubbed 52 doubles in 1995 (age-32), 52 doubles again in 1996 (age-33), 46 doubles in 1998 (age-35) and 40 doubles in 2001 (age-38). Only Pete Rose (6), Tris Speaker (5) and Craig Biggio (5) had more seasons of at least 40 doubles at the age of 32 and older.
Edgar hit 7 career doubles in postseason play — most in club history — five in the League Division Series and two in the League Championship series, none more notable than his game-winning frozen rope off Jack McDowell in Game 5 of the 1995 ALDS.
Edgar Martinez Weekend is set for August 11–13 when the Mariners host the Los Angeles Angels at Safeco Field. The weekend-long celebration begins with Bobblehead Night on Friday, August 11. Edgar joins Ken Griffey Jr. in becoming the 2nd player in franchise history to have his number retired in a pre-game ceremony on Edgar Martinez Number Retirement Night, Saturday, August 12. The festivities conclude with Edgar Martinez Replica Jersey Day on Sunday, August 13.
Tomorrow, we look at how Edgar defined the designated hitter position over his 18-year career. Edgar was a 5-time recipient of the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, earning the honors in 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2001. In 2004, the award was renamed the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award.
