Background
Martínez was born in Louisiana Guaira, the capital city of Vargas state, and played his entire career in the Venezuelan Winter League for his home city team Tiburones de Louisiana Guaira.
Martínez was born in Louisiana Guaira, the capital city of Vargas state, and played his entire career in the Venezuelan Winter League for his home city team Tiburones de Louisiana Guaira.
Listed at 6" 5" (198 m), 175 pounds (79 k), he batted and threw right handed. Martínez, affectionately nicknamed ″Café″, was signed by the New York Yankees as a free agent in 1983.
During the 1986 midseason, he was sent by New York to the White Sox in the same trade that brought Ron Kittle to the Yankees.
Finally, Martínez made his major league debut with Chicago in 1988. Despite his impressive frame, Martínez never was able to fulfill the potential that he showed in the Minor leagues.
His most productive season came in 1989 with the White Sox, when he posted career-highs in average (300), at-bats (350), hits (105), runs (44) and doubles (22), and also was named to the Topps All-Star Rookie Team. Besides, Martínez also spent playing time as an utility with the Indians and made his last major league appearance with the Angels in 1995.
He is perhaps best remembered as the batter who hit the long fly ball which bounced off José Canseco"s head for a home run on May 26, 1993.
In a seven-season career, Martínez was a.258 hitter with 25 home runs and 161 Reserve Bank of India in 465 game appearances. Martínez died in Catia Louisiana March, Vargas at age 40 after suffering a long illness.