Tippy Martinez
Encyclopedia
Felix Anthony Martinez (born May 31, 1950 in La Junta, Colorado
), is a retired professional baseball
pitcher
. Martinez, who threw left-handed, pitched fourteen seasons in Major League Baseball
between 1974 and 1988, primarily as a relief pitcher
. The majority of his career (1976–86) was spent as a member of the Baltimore Orioles
, where he was a member of the Baltimore team that won the 1983 World Series
.
in the 35th round of the 1969 amateur draft, but did not sign with the team. He began his MLB career with the New York Yankees
in 1974 after signing as a free agent. On June 15, 1976, he was involved in a major trade, moving to Baltimore along with Rick Dempsey
, Rudy May
, Scott McGregor and Dave Pagan
in exchange for Doyle Alexander
, Jimmy Freeman
, Elrod Hendricks
, Ken Holtzman
and Grant Jackson. Three of these players--Martinez, the catcher Dempsey, and the starting pitcher McGregor--were to have leading roles in the Orioles' World Championship of '83.
Martinez may be best known for picking off
three Toronto Blue Jays
at first base in one inning
during an August 24, 1983 game at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium
. The Orioles, having replaced both their starting catcher
and his backup while rallying to tie the game in the ninth inning, entered the tenth with reserve infielder
Lenn Sakata
in the game at catcher. Three consecutive Blue Jays hitters reached first base and each one, thinking it would be easy to steal a base
on Sakata, took a big lead. Martinez picked off all three baserunners, then became the winning pitcher when the Orioles won the game on Sakata's home run
in the bottom of the tenth.
Martinez finished his MLB career with the Minnesota Twins
in 1988. He posted a lifetime win-loss record of 55-42 with an ERA
of 3.45.
In December 2006, Martinez became the pitching coach of the York Revolution
of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
.
La Junta, Colorado
The City of La Junta is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Otero County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 7,568 at the U.S. Census 2000. La Junta is located on the Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado east of Pueblo.-History:During...
), is a retired professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. Martinez, who threw left-handed, pitched fourteen seasons in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
between 1974 and 1988, primarily as a relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
. The majority of his career (1976–86) was spent as a member of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, where he was a member of the Baltimore team that won the 1983 World Series
1983 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 11, 1983 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandJohn Denver, whose Thank God I'm a Country Boy was played at the seventh-inning stretch of each Orioles home game, sang the National Anthem prior to this game....
.
Career
Martinez was drafted by the Washington SenatorsTexas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
in the 35th round of the 1969 amateur draft, but did not sign with the team. He began his MLB career with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in 1974 after signing as a free agent. On June 15, 1976, he was involved in a major trade, moving to Baltimore along with Rick Dempsey
Rick Dempsey
John Rikard Dempsey is an American former professional baseball player. He played for 24 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from to , most notably for the Baltimore Orioles...
, Rudy May
Rudy May
Rudolph May, Jr. is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from to for the California Angels, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles and Montreal Expos...
, Scott McGregor and Dave Pagan
Dave Pagan
David Percy Pagan is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball from 1973 until 1977, and was a member of the Seattle Mariners' 1977 inaugural season roster....
in exchange for Doyle Alexander
Doyle Alexander
Doyle Lafayette Alexander is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, and Detroit Tigers...
, Jimmy Freeman
Jimmy Freeman
Jimmy Lee Freeman is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who made two brief appearances with the Atlanta Braves in the early 1970s. He batted and threw left handed....
, Elrod Hendricks
Elrod Hendricks
Elrod Jerome "Ellie" Hendricks was a catcher and coach in Major League Baseball. Hendricks played during a 12-year career that lasted from through for the Baltimore Orioles , Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees...
, Ken Holtzman
Ken Holtzman
Kenneth Dale Holtzman is a left-handed former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics...
and Grant Jackson. Three of these players--Martinez, the catcher Dempsey, and the starting pitcher McGregor--were to have leading roles in the Orioles' World Championship of '83.
Martinez may be best known for picking off
Pickoff
In baseball, a pickoff is an act by a pitcher or a catcher, throwing a live ball to a fielder so that the fielder can tag out a baserunner who is either leading off or about to begin stealing the next base....
three Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
at first base in one inning
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
during an August 24, 1983 game at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
. The Orioles, having replaced both their starting catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
and his backup while rallying to tie the game in the ninth inning, entered the tenth with reserve infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Lenn Sakata
Lenn Sakata
Lenn Haruki Sakata is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues primarily as a utility player from 1977–1987 and was a member of the Baltimore Orioles 1983 World Series Championship team. He was the second Asian American to play Major League Baseball. He is Yonsei...
in the game at catcher. Three consecutive Blue Jays hitters reached first base and each one, thinking it would be easy to steal a base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
on Sakata, took a big lead. Martinez picked off all three baserunners, then became the winning pitcher when the Orioles won the game on Sakata's home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
in the bottom of the tenth.
Martinez finished his MLB career with the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
in 1988. He posted a lifetime win-loss record of 55-42 with an ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 3.45.
In December 2006, Martinez became the pitching coach of the York Revolution
York Revolution
The York Revolution is an American professional baseball team based in York, Pennsylvania. It is a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent league not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
.
External links
- Newspaper article
- Box score of the three-pickoff game, Aug. 24, 1983
- Baltimore Sun article on the 25th anniversary of the three-pickoff game