Edgar Returns

The Mariners re-assigned Howard Johnson to the minor leagues. This move is mildly surprising. HoJo, the M's hitting coach, has probably been a dead man walking for a bit with how moribund and hopeless the Mariners offense has been, especially in June. These kind of woeful performances tend to cost hitting coaches their jobs. To a degree, this is what happened to Johnson, but he's actually still employed by the Mariners! That's sort of interesting.

Still, nothing the Mariners do or don't do to or for Howard Johnson could overshadow his replacement. Edgar Martinez is back in the Mariners dugout.

Let's be reminded why nothing could overshadow Edgar. Skip ahead to 4:00 in the video if you want to see only Edgar, but I personally enjoy savoring the bottom of the 11th in game 5 of the 1995 ALDS in its entirety:

That inning above remains the high water mark in all of Mariners history. It will remain the best moment in Mariners history until the Mariners make the World Series. It might even take the M's winning the World Series to top The Double. Even then there might be room for debate, depending on how a future M's World Championship unfolds.

More than anything it would be really nice to have this debate. Really, really nice. But for now nothing touches The Double. Nothing.

Long-time readers of this blog know my feelings about Edgar. His outline is the one I use for the little icon that shows up in your browser tab. Every January I look for a way to trumpet his case to make the Hall of Fame. Quite simply, he is my favorite baseball player of all-time, and at this point there is a good chance nobody ever topples his place in my own heart and memory. It probably helped that he came along in the back half of my childhood, that part where you are still very impressionable but start to figure out your own favorite things.

I latched on to Edgar even when the M's still had Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Jay Buhner, Dan Wilson, and all those guys you just gotta love (except Bobby Ayala and a host of other unfortunate pitchers). He was quiet, almost stoic in the way he went about his business. He let his bat do the talking, and it spoke plenty loud enough. As my fandom matured and I opened my eyes to sabermetrics, I appreciated Edgar on new levels. Then, he stuck around longer than the rest of that late '90s team - outlasting some guys like Buhner and Wilson, and sticking around while other M's stars flew to new heights elsewhere. Edgar left his impression on my heart and mind as I grew up and became the baseball fan I am today. This is why I'm pretty certain nobody will ever touch him in my own little baseball fandom world.

So OF COURSE the thought of Edgar back in a Mariners uniform is exciting! It gives me all sorts of warm and fuzzy feelings. I'm sure it gives many people really good feelings. This is not a normal midseason coaching replacement.

Unfortunately, Edgar isn't about to hit for the Mariners again, and that would be quite helpful at this moment. Furthermore, nobody on the Mariners roster right now is a budding Edgar Martinez, so that's a problem too. An MLB hitting coach isn't useless - I think that's harsh - but they can only do so much. Edgar's most tangible tools are a hitting tee, a pitching machine, tennis balls with numbers on them, and whatever time players are willing to put in with him. It sounds a bit more like the context for a good finale to a MacGyver episode than the kind of move likely to alter a team's fortunes.

With that said, there are reasons to think Edgar will be a good hitting coach. He wasn't a great hitter in the same way that, say, Vladimir Guerrero was. Could you imagine Vlad the Impaler as a hitting coach? It would be hilarious! He would be so confused as to why none of the hitters under his tutelage can hit dingers with broken bats or fish pitches out of the dirt for doubles.

Edgar worked very hard at his craft. He didn't have particularly great eyes by MLB standards, so he had pitching machines fire tennis balls at him with numbers on them. It helped him train his eyes to identify seems. He placed balls on tees in all sorts of tough to hit positions, and worked on making sure his swing path could get to those places and hit those pitches hard. He studied pitchers mercilessly. Martinez was obviously a gifted hitter, but what truly made him great were practices and a mentality that other can learn and implement on their own.

Still, let's get real about this move: It's not about to save the Mariners offense. These are pros who have had multiple batting coaches throughout their life. Batters by the time they hit the majors are only so impressionable, and only so much can be seen in the remaining 300-400 at bats most of these players have left in this season.

The best part of Edgar Martinez becoming the M's hitting coach is having Edgar back in the dugout. Nobody has worn 11 since he retired, and it will be back. That's really cool. Martinez might not have any real impact the rest of the season, but I don't care. I'm excited - not so much about the future of the 2015 Mariners, but just to have Edgar back around. I've missed him. It's great to have him back.

I'm Finished Being Productive For A While

Major League Baseball has added lots of classic highlights to their online video database. What a beautiful excuse to relive the double.



Enjoy your Sunday.

Edgar Martinez's Hall of Fame Chances

This is a guest post, courtesy an opportunity through FanDuel, so enjoy a non-Mariners fan's perspective of Edgar's Hall of Fame case.

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It is another MLB offseason, which means for Mariners fans, the Edgar Martinez Hall of Fame debate heats up. While fans in the Pacific Northwest are pretty much unanimous in thinking that Martinez should be enshrined in Cooperstown, voters seem to be pretty mixed.

The biggest issue for Martinez right now has more to do with how the voters look at things than his actual numbers. It is not like he is getting new at-bats in-between each season to increase his odds. The numbers are staying the same, but as of right now, there needs to be a change in the way voters think for him to have a shot.

As has been the case since he first appeared on the ballot in 2010, the people against Martinez love to cite that he only played 592 games in which he needed to bring a glove. Defense has always been a tough thing to judge, but you can’t be judged at all if you are a designated hitter. That hurts him in the voting now just like it hurt him in the MVP voting during his playing days. Having just two top 10 MVP finishes in his career, many also believe he accumulated solid stats instead of ever dominating baseball.

Those voters who rely more on advanced statistics though are right with the Mariner homers who think Martinez should already be in the Hall of Fame. His career on-base percentage, which is a much more well-rounded metric than simply batting average, is .418. Since the 1940s, only Barry Bonds, Mickey Mantle and Frank Robinson have had better careers in that regard.

Winning batting titles while still slugging quite a few home runs is never an easy feat either. He has a pair of batting titles to his name, and with over 300 home runs, he has a rare blend of average and power that puts him in the upper-echelon of best all-around hitters.

Ever since receiving support somewhere in the 30-40% range, things have looked bleak for Martinez to make it into the Hall of Fame. He does have a few things working for him though that should get him in eventually.

For starters, he was well liked by the media, fans and fantasy baseball players. Character counts in the Hall of Fame, especially when it comes to fringe players. His numbers will age well as he is compared to other steroid-era guys and analyzed by a more analytical crowd. The wait your turn deal might seem silly to some (again, nothing changes between now and say 10 years from now regarding his statistics), but judging by the way the Hall of Fame votes, he still has some years to wait before finally being appreciated.

2012 Hall of Fame Ballot

This might be the last post of 2011, we'll see. I'm hoping that if I say enough times "this is the last post of 2011," the Mariners will make me look foolish by completing some big move. I also find it ironic that the last post of this year has next year in the title.

I digress. As a member of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance, I have the privilege of filling out a Hall of Fame ballot. It does not count in the real HOF vote, but it does count for the BBA voting. I am curious to see how my fellow BBA bloggers vote, and whom we would elect if we were the BBWAA.

I won't drone on and on about how I decide who is a Hall of Famer, but I do put some thought into my standards. I believe the Hall of Fame's primary function is to preserve what baseball looks like in its highest form. This generally means accumulating remarkable statistics, but that's not everything, as you will see with my ballot. More than anything, I see the hall as where we acknowledge and define what baseball at its best ought to look like.

Because I am a fan of transparency (and ready-made blog posts), here are the players voted yes for, in alphabetical order:

11 Awareness Day

With a day off from work, I definitely want to write today. However, it's surprisingly tough to write about baseball right now. I've always got ideas, but there is just so much going on outside of baseball at the moment. For starters, the stunning Penn State scandal is still setting in. Today is Veteran's Day too, and honoring the military is important. This isn't the best day to focus on baseball.

However, it is also 11/11/11, so what better day to take a quick break from reality to remember Edgar Martinez?

It's not as if I have some novel insight about Edgar to share with the world at this point. He was my favorite baseball player growing up though, so an excuse to look at his numbers is always welcome. Just for fun, to remember how amazing of a hitter 'Gar was, let's compare his career averages with what we just saw out of the 2011 Mariners offense. Where would Edgar stack up amongst the best of the 2011 M's?

Punches In The Face

After a pretty ugly sweep at the hands of the Indians, it seemed appropriate to reference one of the best quotes Ichiro has graced us with.

It was a rough weekend, no doubt about it. The series was great until the first pitch was thrown, very literally. The pre-game festivities for the home opener were fantastic. I was lucky enough to be there, and the Niehaus memorial/celebration met the high standards that the Mariners have set for themselves. Marilyn Niehaus was the perfect choice to throw the first pitch, and it was an excellent touch to bring the whole family on the field. Renaming a block on first avenue "Dave Niehaus Way" is amazing, and I try not to use that word lightly. Safeco Field's home plate entrance now sits at the intersection of Edgar Martinez Drive and Dave Niehaus Way. That is so unbelievably cool.

The short awards ceremony to hand out the hardware from last year was sensational too. The team deftly kept Ichiro out on the field after he got his Gold Glove to recognize him with something for becoming the franchise's all-time hits leader. The organization got him a nicely framed photo, but it was all about who delivered it - Edgar Martinez, the man he passed. Edgar is my favorite Mariner of all time, so of course I was excited to see him unexpectedly come out of the dugout. However, the best part was seeing Ichiro and 'Gar shake hands, pose for some pictures, and in general symbolize the best the M's have had to offer for the past 20 seasons. That alone was worth the price of admission...

...which is good, because the Mariners didn't do much after the games started to warrant a portion of a paycheck. Here are some fun numbers from the series:

Ichiro Gets His Hits

I haven't written enough on this blog about Ichiro. I think that says more about me than him. I'm not trying to be a counter-cultural blog here, but I am trying to give fresh thoughts and perspectives. Ichiro is rather robustly covered, and so he doesn't cross my mind very often as a writing topic.

Ichiro just knocked off my favorite player ever, Edgar Martinez, from the top of the M's career hit list. Even as a die-hard Edgar fan, I'm anything but bitter. Ichiro is known for his hit totals much, much more than Edgar ever was. There is no doubt that Ichiro deserves the honor he reached tonight, and I hope nobody catches him anytime soon.

Well, nobody with the exception of Dustin Ackley. It's okay with me if he gets 3,000 career hits.

Back to Ichiro though. Another reason I don't write much about him is because I don't know what to say. He is magnificent, but it is hard to describe exactly what makes him him.

Designated Hole

www.sportsmemorabilia.com

I came across a tidbit early this morning that Mike Sweeney signed a one-day contract with the Royals to officially retire. He was a real good player in his prime, and a very high character guy to boot. It was always awkward for me as an M's fan to see him in the starting lineup. Every swing I was convinced he would hurt himself, but I wanted him to succeed, but I also knew if he was in the heart of the M's order, the offense needed some help.

Sweeney retires mere months removed from being a regular DH for the Mariners. As I thought more, I realized this has happened before. Really, though left field has been a mess for Seattle the majority of its existence, designated hitter has become as much of a problem since Edgar Martinez retired.

Evaluating a Designated Hitter

With Edgar Martinez's Hall of Fame candidacy (and legitimate candidacy at that, with the percentage of votes he got the first time on the ballot), debate about the value of a designated hitter has heated up. Mostly, when it comes up, people seem to try to guess what Edgar's offensive numbers would have looked like if he played the field, or what other Hall of Famers' numbers would have looked like as a DH.

I don't like either of those methods at all. The Hall of Fame should be about what a player accomplished. Ted Williams might have hit .400 a couple more times, if not for World War II. Babe Ruth might have hit 800 home runs if he had been an everyday position player at the start of his career. Conversely, Ruth might have won 300 games if he had stayed a pitcher. That's not why either of them are in the Hall of Fame though. Their cases, like everyone's, were built on what they actually did.

My Argument For Edgar

Disclaimer: Edgar Martinez is my favorite baseball player, and always will be. He is part of my childhood kind of like my little Mickey Mouse doll, which accompanied me when I was put under to take out my tonsils. 'Gar isn't just any other Mariner to me. He was easily my favorite, even when Ken Griffey Jr. (in his prime), Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, and Jay Buhner were around. So, Edgar's Hall of Fame debate admittedly strikes a personal chord with me. It is a strong enough one to warrant a disclaimer before I make my case for why he should be in the Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame will announce the 2010 inductees on Wednesday. Members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) for at least 10 years vote on eligible players. A player is eligible for the Hall of Fame five years after retiring. A player is inducted if 75 percent of ballots include their name. They may stay on the ballot up to 15 years, as long as they garner votes on at least five percent of the ballots cast.

This is Edgar's first year eligible. The good news is that it looks he will easily be on five percent of the ballots. The bad news is that it looks like he will also easily fall short of 75 percent.

Let the debate on Edgar's Hall of Fame credentials begin.

First of all, there is plenty already out there. Locally, the movement is well underway. First and Edgar is dedicated to getting 'Gar into the Hall of Fame, and also includes links to pro-Edgar articles/arguments. If you have Twitter, you should add this twibbon too.

On the national level, the Mariners sent this to every BBWAA member with a Hall of Fame vote. Furthermore, Edgar's candidacy is receiving attention from major national sports media outlets . Check out this article by David Schoenfield at ESPN if you haven't already. Joe Posnanski at Sports Illustrated dedicated this article mostly to Edgar's case as well.

I have been on the fence about a blog post on Edgar for a few weeks, especially with what has already been written. I like to try to add something a little different, and for the most part I find myself nodding in agreement with what's being written about Edgar. I don't have any new statistics to add that demonstrate Edgar's hitting prowess. I would cite the same players in the articles I've linked to above when it comes to comparisons as well.

Ever since Edgar retired, it has been obvious that he would be one of the more intriguing Hall of Fame cases in a long time. He is an inner-circle, no-brainer according to just about any sabermetric hitting statistic. However, he is easy to discard by the traditional counting statistics, with the exception of his career batting average. Compounding that are the facts that he played in Seattle, baseball's outpost, and that he was a designated hitter, a position half of baseball has not adopted, and that many frankly don't like. Just last month, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said he wants the DH eliminated as a member of an advisory committee formed by Bud Selig.

Edgar Martinez, more than anyone else in a while, is going to make voters think about what makes a Hall of Famer a Hall of Famer. He is not like Jim Rice, Jack Morris, or Bert Blyleven, where he is relatively easy to categorize, and the debate is if his numbers warrant induction compared to players similar to him. Edgar is a highly unique case, thanks to the M's ineptitude that kept him in the minors until his late 20s, and then his hitting prowess once given a full-time job - but mostly as a designated hitter.

As I have read debates and considered the thinking both for and against Edgar Martinez, one thing continues to get overlooked. One of the most fundamental purposes of the Hall of Fame is to preserve the history of the game. Why else would it collect bats, balls, gloves, spikes, jerseys, and hats from important moments and games? The bronze busts and plaques made for enshrined players are an incredible individual accomplishment, but together they say something about the game of baseball. They lift up what makes baseball great. They make a commentary on what baseball is, and what it looks like at its finest.

The debate rages on over whether the designated hitter should be a part of baseball or not. However, like it or not, it is more than a fad. It is undeniably a part of baseball history at this point. It is an accepted part of the game. Yet, when it comes to the Hall of Fame, the position is being marginalized in a similar fashion to gambling and drug use. That's simply inexcusable.

For those who argue relievers were marginalized in the same way, they never were. The fundamental nature of bullpens has changed within the past few decades. Bullpens used to be comprised of pitchers not good enough to make the starting rotation. Now, some arms are groomed for the high-leverage, late-inning situations. Reserving a good pitcher for those situations revolutionized the bullpen, and I believe is also the primary reason starters do not work as deeply into ballgames nowadays. Consequently, the Hall of Fame has acknowledged the revolution by inducting some of the better relievers of all-time.

Whether or not Hall of Fame voters like the designated hitter, they need to acknowledge its role as an accepted part of the game in the American League for over 40 years. There is no better way to do that than inducting Edgar Martinez. He was one of the greatest hitters of his generation, and is among the best hitters baseball has seen since World War II. Statistics back that up, and the pitchers that faced him back that up too.

Edgar is much more than a sabermetric wonder. His 1995 ALDS against the Yankees is legendary, particularly the grand slam he hit off of John Wetteland in game 4, and "the double" in game 5, both with the Mariners trailing late in elimination games. He is one of the biggest reasons the Mariners continued to win despite losing Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez in their primes in back-to-back seasons. The DH of the year award was named in his honor upon his retirement too.

Like any of the best hitters of all-time, Edgar's anecdotal evidence supports the sabermetric evidence. He wasn't just a great designated hitter, he was an exceptional one. The best of all-time, hands down, and few would argue that.

Would Hall of Fame voters keep the best shortstop of all-time out of the Hall of Fame? What about the best starting pitcher, or the best closer, or best first baseman? No, absolutely not, unless they used steroids, or gambled, or agreed to throw the World Series. The designated hitter is unlike other positions, and I will concede that it is less demanding than most. However, it is still a position. That's a fact.

The best designated hitter of all-time should be in the Hall of Fame, especially when he compares favorably to many of the best hitters of all-time in many ways. Ultimately, that is why Edgar Martinez is a Hall of Famer in my eyes.