03:38 PM PDT on Monday, August 9, 2004

Associated Press

SEATTLE – Veteran Seattle Mariners designated hitter Edgar Martinez, now in his 18th major league season, announced Monday afternonn that he will retire at the end of the season.

AP Seattle designated hitter Edgar Martinez tosses his bat while watching his homer fly over the wall.

Martinez, 41, has spent his entire career with the Mariners. He had a career batting average of .312 through Aug. 7 and is considered a potential Hall of Famer.

He's a home-run leader among designated hitters with 305 career homers, and has logged 1,244 RBI.

But he's slumping this summer, batting .258. He's had 46 RBI so far, well below his personal best of 145 in 2000.

His playing time has been scaled back since Bucky Jacobsen was brought up from Triple-A Tacoma in mid-July.

There was talk that Martinez might retire last year, but in November he signed a $3 million, one-year contract, with a potential $4 million more for plate appearances.

"I feel that I can play still and produce," he said at training camp last winter. "I felt healthy. I would have regretted if I would have stayed home when I felt I could still play, and I didn't want to have any regrets."

He was a key player in Seattle's climb from also-ran to World Series contender in the 1990s, but also is enduring Seattle's tough 2004, 41-70 season.

Seattle is 16-43 on the road, and has lost 23 of its last 26 games away from Safeco Field.

Martinez hit .294 last season with 24 home runs and 98 RBIs, winning his fourth Silver Slugger award.

He holds numerous Mariners records, including career games (2,013), hits (2.205), doubles (510), RBIs (1,244), walks (1,272) and runs (1,203).

His .312 batting average is second only to Ichiro Suzuki's .334 as of Aug 9.

He's a two-time AL batting champion and seven-time All-Star.