Tony Martínez

For the actor and singer, see Tony Martinez (actor).

Tony Martínez
Shortstop
Born: (1940-03-18)March 18, 1940 Perico, Matanzas Province, Cuba
Died: Miami, Florida
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 9, 1963, for the Cleveland Indians
Last MLB appearance
June 14, 1966, for the Cleveland Indians
MLB statistics
Batting average	.171
Home runs	0
Runs batted in	10
Teams
Cleveland Indians (1963–1966)

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Martínez and the second or maternal family name is Díaz.

Gabriel Antonio Martínez Díaz (March 18, 1940 – August 24, 1991) was a Cuban-born Major League Baseball shortstop who played in parts of four seasons for the Cleveland Indians (1963–66), appearing in 73 career games. The native of Perico threw and batted right-handed, stood 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) and weighed 165 pounds (75 kg).

Martínez' professional career began at the Class C level in 1960, but by his third pro season he was an All-Star shortstop in Triple-A, winning the 1962 Most Valuable Player Award in the International League at age 22 as a member of the pennant-winning Jacksonville Suns. He was named the 1963 Indians' first-string shortstop coming out of spring training and started the Tribe's first 35 regular-season games. But he hit only .167 with 21 hits. Finally, on May 26, Cleveland optioned Martínez back to Jacksonville and acquired his replacement at shortstop, Dick Howser, in a trade with the Kansas City Athletics. Martínez continued to struggle at Jacksonville, but was recalled in September for another eight-game trial. He spent the remainder of his pro career in the minors, apart from 30 more games with the Indians during sporadic call-ups from 1964–66.

Martínez' 30 big-league hits included five doubles. He drove in ten runs.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet, or Venezuelan Winter League