Edgar eyes push to top on '18 HOF ballot

Former Mariners DH Edgar Martinez talks about the honor of having his number retired by the Mariners alongside Ken Griffey Jr.SEATTLE -- Edgar Martinez's career with the Mariners got off to a late start, so he knows as well as anyone that it's how you finish that counts. And that lesson might come in handy again for one of the game's premier designated hitters as he waits to see if he can convert some strong recent momentum into election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Martinez is one of 43 players on the 2018 Hall of Fame ballot that was released Monday and will be voted on by eligible members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, with the election announcement due on Jan.…