Not sure if any of you remember this guy, but he was on the Sox during the late '80s/early '90s. I remember him being one of the few bright spots of the '89 season.

 

 

 

Anyways, here's the story...

 

Ex-player Martinez, 40, dies at home in Venezuela

   

Jan. 24, 2006

CBS SportsLine.com wire reports   

 

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Carlos Martinez, who played for seven seasons in Major League Baseball, died on Tuesday at his home in Venezuela at age 40, his wife said.

 

Martinez, an infielder for the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians and California Angels from 1988-93 and 1995, died at his home in the coastal state of Vargas, about 20 kilometers north of the capital Caracas, Evelyn de Martinez told reporters.

 

She declined to specify the cause of death, although she said he had suffered for years from the same disease which forced him to retire from baseball in 1998.

 

"He was hospitalized many times until last week, when they told me nothing else could be done," De Martinez said. "He wanted to spend his final days here at home with his family."

 

"Cafe" Martinez, as he was affectionately known because of his penchant for Venezuelan coffee, began his professional career at age 18 in his home port city of La Guaira with Los Tiburones, and was signed that same year by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent.

 

He was traded in 1986 to the Chicago White Sox, for whom he made his major leagues debut two years later in the last month of the regular season as a third baseman.

 

Undermined by injuries, he finished with a MLB career batting average of .258 with 25 home runs, and 161 RBI.

AP NEWS

The Associated Press News Service

 

Copyright 2005-2006, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

I don't remember much about Carlos Martinez the player but I sure remember that baseball card.

 

By the way, Carlos Martinez is the player who hit the fly ball that bounced off of Jose Canseco's head and went over the fence for a homerun. Martinez was with the Indians then.

Edited January 25, 200620 yr by SSH2005

R.I.P. Carlos Martinez

I remember that baseball card too. Was my first Sox player that I ever had and got me into collecting cards.

He played first I believe at my first Sox game. I had heard he was sick by a guy who travels to venezuela to get autographs of players. Sad news

I don't remember much about Carlos Martinez the player but I sure remember that baseball card. 

 

By the way, Carlos Martinez is the player who hit the fly ball that bounced off of Jose Canseco's head and went over the fence for a homerun.  Martinez was with the Indians then.

 

I remember him now being with the Indians. Don't remember much about him with the White Sox.

 

Rest in Peace Carlos.

Wow, that's sad.

I remember Carlos with the Sox.

RIP Carlos.

I wonder what disease he had that was wasting him away like that? Thats pretty sad to be in and out of the hospital so much and dying by the age of 40.

sorry to stir up the rumor mill, but the only reason to not specify a disease is if it carries a social stigma, and I can think of only a couple of plausible things in this case.

 

anyway, loved the guy in 1989.

This is very sad. I don't remember him with the White Sox, I only remember him with the Indians. And I do believe I have that baseball card aswell. RIP Carlos Martinez.

I remember running into both Carlos Martinez and Ivan Calderon at a nightclub in Logan Square way back when. They came in together so they must have been buds. It's amazing to think that they are both gone now. Minnie was also there that night.

 

RIP Carlos.

 

BTW...who's on the on deck circle in that card? Could it be scammy?

I remember Carlos Martinez very well. Sad to hear the news. If he was very sick, then it's even sadder considering he was only 40.

 

The Sox traded Ron Kittle, Joel Skinner and Wayne Tolleson to the Yankees to get him and Ron Hassey way back when.

 

RIP Carlos.

I do remember Carlos with the Sox.

 

RIP.

I remember running into both Carlos Martinez and Ivan Calderon at a nightclub in Logan Square way back when.  They came in together so they must have been buds.  It's amazing to think that they are both gone now.  Minnie was also there that night. 

 

RIP Carlos.

 

BTW...who's on the on deck circle in that card?  Could it be scammy?

 

Haha it very well may be.

Does that mean I need a new screen name? Carlos was my boy growing up, I would get so mad when I'd go to games and Carlos would be riding the pine because some up and camer named Frank Thomas was in the lineup.

Truly sad to hear this news.

I was told it was cancer a few years ago. That doesn't make it so but thats what I was told