Dave Martinez
Encyclopedia
David Martinez is a former outfielder
in Major League Baseball
who played for several teams from 1986 to 2001. He is currently the bench coach for the Tampa Bay Rays
.
, Martinez was traded to the Montreal Expos
. Over the next decade, he established himself as one of the better defensive outfielders in the game. He was among the league leaders in assists, range factor
, and fielding percentage
several times.
Martinez is one of only a handful of players to play for four major league teams in the same season.(See July 30, 2004 in baseball) This happened in 2000, when he played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
(from opening day till May 12), the Chicago Cubs (from May 12 to June 9), the Texas Rangers
(from June 9 until August 4), and finally the Toronto Blue Jays
(from August 4 through the end of the season). He never played in a postseason series until his final year in the majors, when the Atlanta Braves
reached the NLCS
.
On October 11, 2007, he was hired by the Tampa Bay Rays to be their bench coach.
Martinez resides in the Tampa Bay
area with wife Lisa and four children - Josh, Jagger, Dalton, and Angelica.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
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...
who played for several teams from 1986 to 2001. He is currently the bench coach for the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
.
Career
After playing high school baseball in Orlando, FL, Martinez attended Valencia Community College in Orlando during the fall of 1982, where he was drafted in the January phase of the MLB draft by the Chicago Cubs. After several years in the minors, he made his major league debut in 1986. In 1988, amid rumors that he was sleeping with the wife of teammate Ryne SandbergRyne Sandberg
Ryne Dee Sandberg , nicknamed "Ryno" is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. During a 16-year baseball career, he played from 1981–1994 and 1996–97, spending nearly his entire career with the Chicago Cubs. He was named after relief pitcher Ryne Duren, and is recognized as one of the best...
, Martinez was traded to the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. Over the next decade, he established himself as one of the better defensive outfielders in the game. He was among the league leaders in assists, range factor
Range Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
, and fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
several times.
Martinez is one of only a handful of players to play for four major league teams in the same season.(See July 30, 2004 in baseball) This happened in 2000, when he played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
(from opening day till May 12), the Chicago Cubs (from May 12 to June 9), the Texas Rangers
Texas 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...
(from June 9 until August 4), and finally the 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 ....
(from August 4 through the end of the season). He never played in a postseason series until his final year in the majors, when the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
reached the NLCS
2001 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 16, 2001 at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, ArizonaThe 2001 NLCS began with an excellent pitching matchup of multiple-Cy Young Award winners Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux. Reggie Sanders plated a run in the first with a single to give Arizona a 1–0 lead. Meanwhile, Johnson...
.
On October 11, 2007, he was hired by the Tampa Bay Rays to be their bench coach.
Martinez resides in the Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...
area with wife Lisa and four children - Josh, Jagger, Dalton, and Angelica.