Tony Martínez
Gabriel Antonio Martínez Díaz was a Cuban-born Major League Baseball shortstop who played in parts of four seasons for the Cleveland Indians, appearing in 73 career games. The native of Perico threw and batted right-handed, stood and weighed.
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 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.
