Well, here’s a surprise: The Mariners announced Saturday afternoon that they have reassigned hitting coach Howard Johnson and hired seven-time All-Star Edgar Martinez as his replacement.
Martinez will be in uniform Saturday night against the Astros, wearing his familiar No. 11.
The Mariners entered Saturday’s action ranked dead-last in the majors in batting average and 28th in runs scored. This is a function of talent more than anything else, but the front office decided that a new voice was needed.