Mariners name Edgar Martinez hitting coach
The struggling Seattle Mariners are reaching into their past in an attempt to spark their powerless bats.
The Mariners named franchise great Edgar Martinez as their hitting coach Saturday, replacing Howard Johnson. Johnson was reassigned to an unspecified role in the minor leagues.
Martinez, a .312 career hitter over his 18-year major league career, had been in his first season working with Seattle’s minor league teams as a hitting instructor.
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“I go around and visit the minor league teams, spend four or five days with the team and help the players with hitting,” Martinez said.
After 10 years of retirement, Martinez decided it was time to get involved in the game again.
“I had too much time on my hands,” Martinez said with a laugh. “I always wanted to get back to the game. Right now my family is busy, my wife is working, my kids are all in school and they’re old enough where I can travel more. It’s a good time for me to do it.”
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Israel Fehr is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr
