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Ted Martinez

Ted Martinez
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 154 of 1218 players
Martinez
Teodoro Noel Encarnacion Martinez
Born: December 10, 1947 at Barahona, Dominican Republic
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Height: 6.00 Weight: 170

Ted Martinez was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on August 10, 2020, September 5, 2021, and January 27, 2023.

ss 2b of 3b

First Mets game: July 18, 1970
Last Mets game: October 2, 1974

Share your memories of Ted Martinez

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

Howard Levy
April 13, 2001
Mets Broadcaster Ralph Kiner used to tell the story of when Martinez reported to his first MLB training camp, no one ever saw him at the hotel. Apparantly, Teodoro didn't know that the hotel was included in the deal. The player was living on the streets and eating oranges in a park outside the spring training facility!

Jim Snedeker
November 26, 2001
Ted was my favorite player for a time. And he was one of the guys who got some key hits during the 1973 pennant drive.

I remember one time he was on Kiner's Korner (maybe the only time), and Ralph began by saying, "Ted was reluctant to come on the show because he doesn't speak much English. Well, that's okay, Ted, because I don't speak much Spanish." Now with Teddy firmly on his side, Ralph proceeded to ask him mind-bending questions such as "Did you hit the ball well?" and "That was a good play you made, wasn't it?" But when he replied, Teodoro would start off in broken English and then start rambling in Spanish as a perplexed Ralph would try and break in with another question.

Les
November 29, 2001
Ted Martinez was a difficult man to find in the off season. Before the 1973 season, the Mets sent him a contract and never heard from him. Then, when the players' strike ended in spring training of 1973, the Mets called the players to inform them about reporting dates. They tried to locate Teddy in the Dominican Republic, but he was no where to be found. He showed up to Spring Training a few days later.

He was a guy who Yogi could put at shortstop or centerfield and filled in admirably.

Mr. Sparkle
December 10, 2001
I gotta admit that when Teddy was playing I liked him too. But looking back on his numbers, he wasn't very good. I always thought of him as an exciting player but he didn't really have a lot of steals and no power. I was just a kid so what the hell did I know?

Jim Snedeker
November 21, 2002
I saw Teddy as a pinch-runner for the Dodgers in the 1977 World Series. They brought him out in the final inning of the last game (which they lost).

And Curt Gowdy pronounced his name incorrectly: Mar-teh-NEZ instead of Mar-TEEN-ez.

Metsmind
December 25, 2002
Teddy was a regular on Kiner's Korner, and the language problems were hilarious. Later,they would have Felix Millan on the show with him to act as a go between.

Best memory was early in Teddy's career, he scored a winning run from third on a popup the Montreal catcher failed to catch directly in front of the plate. That day on Kiner's Korner, Martinez said he knew Coco Laboy was the Expos third baseman, so the whole way running home (I guess there were 2 outs)he kept yelling "lo tengo", fooling the catcher into thinking it was Laboy calling it.

benton
August 27, 2005
He couldn't field a lick. Maybe it was because Harrelson seemed to catch everything, but I remember wincing every time the ball was hit to him.

jochi
November 23, 2005
This is my Uncle Teodoro. He wasn't a good player but he is a hell of a coach.

Mitch
July 17, 2007
Martinez was the consummate good-field, no-hit utility player. The Mets have had many of those through the years.

Don Engbers
May 9, 2008
In '69 and '70 I played with Teddy at Memphis and Tidewater. He was a fun guy and a good player. After reading some of the memories from others I was surprised about his having trouble with the English language. Maybe he was just nervous being on the air because when I knew him he was very easy to understand.

Donnie
April 11, 2011
I've just read all the memories the Mets fans have written about Teddy Martinez, and I can't believe not ONE has yet mentioned how he used to endear himself to fans by doing the Mexican hat dance in the dugout whenever the song was played! The fans all loved it! How I wish today's players had THAT kind of charisma!

John Rodriguez
January 10, 2014
I read in Tug McGraw's autobiography "Screwball" that in Teddy's rookie season Tug was pitching with a runner at second. Tug motioned to Teddy at short that he was going to try to pick off the runner. Teddy befuddledly cried out "No comprendo!" Manager Gil Hodges watching from the bench immediately called for time and chewed out Tug for potentially causing a disaster. RIP Gil Hodges and Tug.

Ralph Sassano
July 7, 2021
My memory of Teddy Martinez is that he once doubled on a pitch that bounced up to home plate. I remember this vividly, and as I recall, it was a hit that propelled the Mets a rally late to come back against either San Diego or San Francisco. I also remember that this was in my grandmother's tenement in the Bronx. We'd driven down from "the country" to visit and when we went there I was always a) appalled with all the trash, abandoned cars and graffiti around her neighborhood, and b) dismayed by the boredom because my brother and I were not allowed on the streets!

Also, I am fairly certain Teddy was on Kiner's Korner after the game. I seem to remember him saying "sec-UMM-base" and getting a little chuckle out of it.








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