Although he was leading the rookie stats race, he was disqualified and Marte Saldaña (no relation) of San Miguel, won the honor instead.
Early in his career, he was known as the "Plastic Man" for his twisting hang-time shots inside the paint.
In 1987, Saldaña suffered one of the most gruesome injuries in the PBA when he overextended and violently twisted his knee when he landed badly while trying to block a shot attempt by, ironically, his namesake Marte Saldańa, then of Hills Bros. Coffee.
He, however, miraculously recovered from what many perceived as a career-ending injury and even went on to play for at least 16 seasons in the PBA as a power forward.
In his late 30s, he remained a key player for Gordon’s Gin’s successful championship bid in the 1997 PBA Commissioner's Cup finals against Alaska.