Ramón Martínez (infielder)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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|
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers — No. 33 | |
| Infielder | |
| Born: October 10, 1972 | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
| June 20, 1998 for the San Francisco Giants | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through 2007) |
|
| Batting average | .265 |
| On base percentage | .324 |
| Home runs | 29 |
| Teams | |
Ramón E. Martínez[1] (born October 10, 1972 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a utility infielder in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.
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[edit] Early career
Martinez graduated from Escuela Superior Catolica High School and then attended Vernon Regional Junior College in Texas, where he played baseball and graduated in 1992. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Kansas City Royals on January 15 1993.
[edit] Major League career
Martinez made his professional baseball debut with the Gulf Coast Royals in the rookie leagues in 1993 and rose through the Royals farm system with stops in Wilmington, Wichita, and Omaha.
On December 9 1996, Martinez was traded by the Royals to the San Francisco Giants for Jamie Brewington. He played with the Giants "AA" team in Shreveport and "AAA" teams in Phoenix and Fresno before finally getting his first shot at the big leagues.
Martinez made his major league debut on June 20, 1998, as the starting second baseman for the Giants against the San Diego Padres. He went 3 for 3 in his debut, with his first hit being a single off Mark Langston. He was the first Giant since Willie McCovey to register at least 3 hits in his first Major League game.
He remained on the Giants roster through 2002. The Giants used him as a utility player primarily, with occasional starts at second, short or third.
He left the Giants as a free agent following the 2002 season and signed with the Chicago Cubs, where he was their top infield reserve/pinch hitter for two seasons.
Martinez started the 2005 season with the Detroit Tigers and was traded on June 9 to the Philadelphia Phillies alongside Ugueth Urbina for infielder Plácido Polanco. He hit. 286 for the Phillies, who used him as their backup first baseman. Ramon's only home run with the Phillies was a grand slam off Horacio Ramírez on September 14, 2005, in a 12-4 Phillies win.
Martinez signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to the 2006 season and spent the next two seasons as a utility player for the Dodgers. His option was not picked up by the club after the 2007 season[2], but on January 29, 2008, they signed him to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training[3]. He wound up assigned to the minor league Las Vegas 51s to start the 2008 season and while playing for the 51s he sustained an injury and is scheduled to spend some time on the disabled list.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- ESPN - profile and daily updates
- Baseball Reference - career statistics and analysis
