DH’s face uphill battle when it comes to Hall

Chicks may dig the long ball, as a Major League Baseball promotion a couple decades ago proclaimed.

Over time, however, Hall of Fame voters have shown they want more than a big bat when they decide inductees to the shrine in Cooperstown, N.Y.

And that’s the challenge that faces the likes of Edgar Martinez, who is on the Hall of Fame ballot for the seventh time. On Oct. 2, 2004, during a retirement ceremony at Safeco Field, former Commissioner Bud Selig announced that Major League Baseball had renamed the annual Outstanding Designated Hitter Award the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award.

The strongest support Martinez received came this year when he was named on 43.4 percent of the ballots cast, well below the 75 percent support necessary for enshrinement.

It is not easy being a Hall of Fame trailblazer.

• Hall of Fame coverage

Hoyt Wilhelm, a member of the Hall of Fame Class in 1985, was the first reliever to be inducted. He, however, had had a strong following because of the uniqueness of his career. Wilhelm developed a knuckleball in high school, not after suffering an arm injury in pro ball, and had a lengthy big league career despite not making his debut until 1952 after 11 years in the Minor Leagues, just 98 days shy of his 30th birthday. He retired during the 1972 season, 15 days shy of his 50th birthday.

In the 31 years since Wilhelm was honored, only four other relievers have been enshrined — Rollie Fingers in 1992, Dennis Eckersley in 2004, Bruce Sutter in …

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