Monday, August 09, 2004
EDGAR Q&A (ROUGH)
(Once again, it's a rough transcript of part of Edgar's Q&A session with the reporters. I couldn't quite hear some of the questions, but hopefully I've clued you in enough via the answers.)
Edgar Martinez: I've been thinking about it (the announcement) for a few weeks, but the decision came with the last few days.
I knew it (retirement announcement) was going to be hard and...I guess I didn't want to think about it...kinda wanted to block that moment. Even when I came here, I said "oh, this is going to be a piece of cake." I'd been trying to block it, but it's hard.
It was tough. As a player, I feel that my mind and my heart want to keep playing, but my body's saying something different. It is a hard decision. Sometimes you feel you can keep playing and playing, but your body doesn't feel like it can do it.
I thought about it (the announcement) myself and talked to Holli...we basically kept it to ourselves.
Baseball to me is a game, but also it's been a big part of my life so it's...baseball has this magic that you just feel this way, a sad way, when players leave. When Clemente passed away it was real hard for me, I was 11. It's just baseball. Baseball has that effect on people.
I don't know for sure (about future w/organization). We're probably going to be talking about that in the near future. At this point it remains to be seen.
Well, I'll be spending more time (after retirement) with the family, with Holli and the kids. I have some ideas that have been playing in my mind, but nothing concrete yet. I know one thing, I can't sit at home and not do anything.
It's been hard. We had a lot of expectations out of spring training. Everything looked great and exciting. Everything has gone in a different direction. It's been hard for me, and it's been hard for everyone in the clubhouse. ... It's been great for years, we had great runs for many years in a row. I never saw this coming (the bad season). You learn from those experiences, so it's also a learning experience.
I don't know what to tell you (about the last 7 wks of play). I'm looking forward to it, and trying to enjoy more...trying to enjoy the teammates, coaches, try to enjoy it more, now that I know it's going to be the last.
I feel like it's some relief. My mind and my heart wanted to keep playing, but when you struggle, a decision like that can make you feel better.
It's something that I've been thinking of (announcing retirement) for some time, and I thought it was appropriate to do it now.
Probably 1995 was the greatest moment against the Yankees. That last game against the Yankees was probably the greatest moment.
I hear that (fans talking to him about the double) probably the most. I remember the whole month of September was like a playoff. It was a lot of excitement. You coule feel the excitement from the fans. Everywhere on the street, if we showed up early you could see the fans waiting outside for the players.
(regarding why he stayed in Seattle when the other stars left) The relationship that I had with management...I enjoyed playing here, I always felt at home here, and Holli, my wife from here...I had many factors in place here already, and I felt it was the perfect setting for me.
Personally, I was prepared for failure in some ways...I felt that I could do it (succeed), but mentally I always felt there was the possibility that I could have a bad season and things could go the wrong way. I consider myself a realistic person and thought things like that could be possible for someone my age. It was harder to see the team go in the direction they did this year.
It's up to you guys, the writers, to determine if I'm worthy of it (Hall of Fame). ... I think that the position, DH, a lot of people don't think it's worthy of being in the HOF, but it's up to you guys to see if the numbers are enough.
(Once again, this is kind of rough, so if anything seems a little weird, wait for an official transcript to come out, if an official transcript does indeed come out. Why I didn't have tape rolling during this, I have no idea.)
Edgar Martinez: I've been thinking about it (the announcement) for a few weeks, but the decision came with the last few days.
I knew it (retirement announcement) was going to be hard and...I guess I didn't want to think about it...kinda wanted to block that moment. Even when I came here, I said "oh, this is going to be a piece of cake." I'd been trying to block it, but it's hard.
It was tough. As a player, I feel that my mind and my heart want to keep playing, but my body's saying something different. It is a hard decision. Sometimes you feel you can keep playing and playing, but your body doesn't feel like it can do it.
I thought about it (the announcement) myself and talked to Holli...we basically kept it to ourselves.
Baseball to me is a game, but also it's been a big part of my life so it's...baseball has this magic that you just feel this way, a sad way, when players leave. When Clemente passed away it was real hard for me, I was 11. It's just baseball. Baseball has that effect on people.
I don't know for sure (about future w/organization). We're probably going to be talking about that in the near future. At this point it remains to be seen.
Well, I'll be spending more time (after retirement) with the family, with Holli and the kids. I have some ideas that have been playing in my mind, but nothing concrete yet. I know one thing, I can't sit at home and not do anything.
It's been hard. We had a lot of expectations out of spring training. Everything looked great and exciting. Everything has gone in a different direction. It's been hard for me, and it's been hard for everyone in the clubhouse. ... It's been great for years, we had great runs for many years in a row. I never saw this coming (the bad season). You learn from those experiences, so it's also a learning experience.
I don't know what to tell you (about the last 7 wks of play). I'm looking forward to it, and trying to enjoy more...trying to enjoy the teammates, coaches, try to enjoy it more, now that I know it's going to be the last.
I feel like it's some relief. My mind and my heart wanted to keep playing, but when you struggle, a decision like that can make you feel better.
It's something that I've been thinking of (announcing retirement) for some time, and I thought it was appropriate to do it now.
Probably 1995 was the greatest moment against the Yankees. That last game against the Yankees was probably the greatest moment.
I hear that (fans talking to him about the double) probably the most. I remember the whole month of September was like a playoff. It was a lot of excitement. You coule feel the excitement from the fans. Everywhere on the street, if we showed up early you could see the fans waiting outside for the players.
(regarding why he stayed in Seattle when the other stars left) The relationship that I had with management...I enjoyed playing here, I always felt at home here, and Holli, my wife from here...I had many factors in place here already, and I felt it was the perfect setting for me.
Personally, I was prepared for failure in some ways...I felt that I could do it (succeed), but mentally I always felt there was the possibility that I could have a bad season and things could go the wrong way. I consider myself a realistic person and thought things like that could be possible for someone my age. It was harder to see the team go in the direction they did this year.
It's up to you guys, the writers, to determine if I'm worthy of it (Hall of Fame). ... I think that the position, DH, a lot of people don't think it's worthy of being in the HOF, but it's up to you guys to see if the numbers are enough.
(Once again, this is kind of rough, so if anything seems a little weird, wait for an official transcript to come out, if an official transcript does indeed come out. Why I didn't have tape rolling during this, I have no idea.)
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