Indians honor V-Mart after he officially announces he's retiring
Victor Martinez saved his official retirement announcement for where it all started.
The 39-year-old Detroit Tigers slugger confirmed on Saturday what had been anticipated for months, that he's retiring at the end of this season after 16 years in the major leagues, according to Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com. He made the announcement before the Tigers' game against his former team, the Cleveland Indians, at Progressive Field.
The Indians honored Martinez by presenting him with a commemorative plaque and playing a tribute video. The retiring star was moved to tears as he received a loud ovation from Cleveland fans and was embraced by Indians president Chris Antonetti and manager Terry Francona, who managed Martinez in Boston from 2009-10.
Thank you, Victor!
— SportsTime Ohio (@SportsTimeOhio) September 15, 2018
The @Indians honor beloved former catcher Victor Martinez, who is likely to retire after this season. #RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/RExqjXJPL4
Goosebumps. Former Indians catcher Victor Martinez was honored by the Tribe today as he enters retirement after this season. It made for a very emotional moment for all involved. #Indians pic.twitter.com/mf53bJfKpR
— clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) September 15, 2018
"He is one of the best switch-hitters you'll ever see," Francona said of Martinez, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. "There were sometimes when it looked like he was playing softball. He'd go through those periods where he was just so locked in.
"When you were with him, it was great. When you were against him, it was a bad feeling."
The past few seasons have been rough for Martinez, and his 2017 campaign was cut short due to a heart issue. His farewell tour with the Tigers has resulted in the worst statistical season of his career, as he owns a .249/.296/.351 slash line with just nine homers in 127 games, all of them as a DH.
Over his eight years in Cleveland, Martinez made three All-Star teams and hit 103 home runs while serving as a dependable and popular catcher. He posted a .888 OPS during the Indians' 2007 playoff run but the team came up one win short of a pennant. Two years later he was traded to the Red Sox, who had defeated Cleveland in the '07 ALCS; Martinez went on to sign with Detroit in 2011.
"We had some good years here and I played with some good teammates," Martinez said of his time in Cleveland. "I remember 2007, we were one game away from the World Series and we couldn't win one more game.
"But this is the organization that gave me a chance to become a professional baseball player and brought me to the big leagues. It will always be remembered. Like my mom said, 'We will always have the Indians in our heart.'"