Mariners will retire Edgar Martinez's jersey

SEATTLE – Edgar Martinez might not be in the Hall of Fame (yet), but the Mariners gave him the next best thing.

The team’s former designated hitter and current hitting coach will have his No. 11 retired, the team announced at a press conference at Safeco Field on Tuesday afternoon.

"This is an incredible gift for me and my family that we will share forever," Martinez said.



The ceremony will happen before a game against the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 12, part of a four-game series at Safeco Field.

Ken Griffey Jr. is the only other player whose number the Mariners have retired.

"This ownership group has a very high standard for retiring a number – we’ve retired one in 39 years," Mariners president Kevin Mather said.

Edgar Martinez



Martinez spent his entire career, spanning 1987-2004, with the Mariners. He ended up batting .312 with 309 home runs, 2,247 hits and 514 doubles, and is considered by many to be the greatest right-handed hitter of his era.

Just last week, Martinez fell short of the Hall of Fame in his eight year of eligibility. He got 58.6 percent of the vote, a big jump from last year but still short of the 75 percent he needs for induction.

"The greatest fans in baseball, the Mariners fans, gave me motivation," Martinez said.