Master Index of Archived Threads


Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Frayed Knot Nov 27 2013 05:03 PM

Checking in on the long-time faces of baseball who won't be around come the 2014 season. We already knew about the likes of Mariano Rivera (I think I heard somewhere he wasn't coming back), Pettitte, and Todd Helton We can now add Theodore Roosevelt "Ted" Lilly to the list; too many injuries he says. He spent at least parts of 15 seasons in the majors chalking up a 130-103 record and the number of Montreal Expos goes down by one with his exit. Also pitched for the Yanx, A's, Blue Jays, Cubs, and Dodgers where he made 5 starts this past season before being released in August.

Frayed Knot Dec 09 2013 10:26 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Jon Heyman reports (no word whether ESPN "confirms") that Roy Halladay is to make his retirement announcement today.

Edgy MD Dec 09 2013 10:37 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Smoly crap! This division is softening up! (Get with the program, Nats!)

Frayed Knot Dec 10 2013 02:33 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Also neglected to include StL pitcher Chris Carpenter He said during this past season that he was going to retire as he recovered from yet another injury. He and Halladay are pals (IIRC) so maybe they timed this so as to go huntin' and fishin' together year round. Also Mark Prior - speaking of never-ending pitcher injuries - is finally giving up the chase.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Dec 10 2013 05:27 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

NOT Mark Mulder. At least, not yet. "I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am," Mulder said by phone Tuesday. "To be honest with you, I never anticipated this five or six weeks ago. It was just a flat-out fluke that came from me trying to imitate Paco Rodriguez in my living room." No, seriously.

Edgy MD Dec 10 2013 07:48 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

That does not look like a motion that's healthy on the shoulders.

Centerfield Dec 11 2013 07:47 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

I find myself rooting for Mulder. Not sure why. It would be cool if he made it back.

G-Fafif Dec 11 2013 01:44 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Jerry Hairston, Jr. -- Playing for the Dodgers TV booth next year.

G-Fafif Jan 02 2014 03:32 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

2006 NLCS villain Jeff Suppan, with better timing now than then. Right-hander Jeff Suppan, a remarkably consistent pitcher throughout a career prime marked by strings of double-digit victory seasons who is best remembered for a few very strong October performances for the Cardinals in their championship seasons of 2004 and 2006, announced his retirement today. Suppan, a product of Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley who last pitched in 2012 for the Padres but whose best years came for Kansas City, Pittsburgh and especially St. Louis throughout the previous decade, purposefully selected 2 p.m. Pacific time on Jan. 2 to make the announcement, to honor his beloved late mother Kathleen, who died at that time of day exactly six years ago to the day.

Ashie62 Jan 02 2014 06:44 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Never would have guessed Suppan played for so many years..Beats Vladimir Guerrero by one year FWIW

Frayed Knot Jan 06 2014 10:17 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Aubrey Huff following a 13 year career with five teams, mostly the Rays, most recently the Giants.

G-Fafif Jan 11 2014 04:21 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Jason Bay, about to no longer have a continuing career in baseball.

Nymr83 Jan 12 2014 12:10 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

G-Fafif wrote: Jason Bay, about to no longer have a continuing career in baseball. He said that he turned down offers in Japan. He was so bad for the Mets, but he probably could have had a big year over there if he was interested.

Benjamin Grimm Jan 12 2014 12:24 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

I think that's a wise decision. Now, instead of embarrassing himself on the field, he can retire and go home and start bullying his neighbors into cutting down their trees.

Gwreck Jan 12 2014 05:15 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I think that's a wise decision. Now, instead of embarrassing himself on the field, he can retire and go home and start bullying his neighbors into cutting down their trees. I thought that was Olerud who had the problems with his neighbors' trees.

Frayed Knot Jan 12 2014 05:22 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Sure, but all them tall, lean, fair-skinned, white boys from the pacific northwest look alike. So they probably behave alike too.

G-Fafif Jan 14 2014 05:09 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Rod Barajas hangs 'em up, prepares lateral move into continuing careers thread as mgr in Padre system.

Ashie62 Jan 15 2014 12:10 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Dallas Braden, author of MLB's 19th perfect game retires describing his shoulder as a shredded mess.. [url]http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24409348/lefty-dallas-braden-retiring-calls-his-shoulder-a-shredded-mess

G-Fafif Jan 24 2014 08:12 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Tim Byrdak seems to be retired if not wholly voluntarily. Tweeted that it appears nobody's picking him up after all the surgeries he's endured.

Benjamin Grimm Jan 24 2014 08:40 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Thanks a lot, Obamacare!

smg58 Jan 29 2014 04:49 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Lance Berkman. One of the game's elite hitters when he was healthy. With a career line of .293/.406/.537, you could argue he's actually been somewhat overlooked.

Frayed Knot Jan 29 2014 05:08 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Memories of Lance Berkman 1) His nickname of 'Fat Elvis' is one of the best of the recent crop. Fit him perfectly. 2) He, along with his early Houston contemporary (and future NYM) Richard Hidalgo formed a great example of a tools vs skills debate. Less than a year apart in age and coming up in the same system at a similar time (Berkman, going via the college route, made his ML debut nearly 2 years later) -- if you were measuring the two just on pure skill, Hildalgo would best Berkman in probably every category: better speed, much better arm & glove, more pure power, etc.. But Berkman, despite his "lesser: skills and less-than dreamy body, was much more skilled at putting the bat on the ball and controlling the strike zone and, as a result, had the clearly better career while lasting an extra five years and getting nearly double the ABs as Hidalgo was out of the majors by age 30. Career stats: LB = .293/.406/.537 RH = .269/.345/.490

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 29 2014 06:06 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

also was the answer to a "Who Am I" trivia question at the sabr meeting. Name a guy with 366 career home runs -- only 1 with the Yankees. Also hit a postseason MFY HR.

Nymr83 Jan 29 2014 07:04 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: also was the answer to a "Who Am I" trivia question at the sabr meeting. Name a guy with 366 career home runs -- only 1 with the Yankees. Also hit a postseason MFY HR. The low point of his career.

sharpie Jan 30 2014 03:35 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Michael Young, who coulda been a career Texas Ranger had he done it one year earlier, has hung it up.

seawolf17 Jan 31 2014 08:47 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Frayed Knot wrote: Memories of Lance Berkman Voted "most likely to look like seawolf17" thirteen times in his fifteen-year career.

Ashie62 Jan 31 2014 05:01 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

sharpie wrote: Michael Young, who coulda been a career Texas Ranger had he done it one year earlier, has hung it up. 13 Ranger years....7 time all star....

Frayed Knot Feb 11 2014 12:20 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Roy Oswalt - who never became a NY Met despite being traded-via-rumor here about twice a week over at least a four-year period. And in case you were under the impression that he already had retired, he actually pitched in nine games (starting six) for the Rockies in 2013.

G-Fafif Feb 12 2014 12:53 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Derek Jeter, MFY SS and Roy Oswalt news-usurper.

G-Fafif Feb 12 2014 12:58 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Actually, all Jeter did was announce he'd be out in the winter of 2014/15. So the hell with him.

Nymr83 Feb 12 2014 01:44 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

G-Fafif wrote: Actually, all Jeter did was announce he'd be out in the winter of 2014/15. So the hell with him. Did you actually think he would just retire without a victory lap? No way

Ashie62 Feb 15 2014 04:49 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Jake Westbrook retires at 36...

Frayed Knot Feb 16 2014 11:20 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: NOT Mark Mulder. At least, not yet. "I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am," Mulder said by phone Tuesday. "To be honest with you, I never anticipated this five or six weeks ago. It was just a flat-out fluke that came from me trying to imitate Paco Rodriguez in my living room." No, seriously. Torn achilles tendon. Career re-boot over before it starts.

G-Fafif Feb 16 2014 11:38 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Ryan Dempster not pitching this year, Ken Rosenthal reports, due to "physical reasons" and a desire to spend time with a politician's family (or his own). Will be 37 in May. But not exactly retired.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Feb 16 2014 02:43 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

That's weird. Ryan Dempster's weird.

G-Fafif Feb 27 2014 09:20 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

The "no" in Carl Pavano is for the news that Carl Pavano will no longer be playing professional baseball.

Frayed Knot Feb 27 2014 09:36 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Many MFY fans believe that Pavano retired about the second year of his contract with them.

G-Fafif Mar 02 2014 11:18 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Cross-referencing the retirement of Guillermo Mota here. He won't be missed.

G-Fafif Mar 05 2014 01:20 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Say goodbye to Rick Ankiel, say goodbye my baby.

G-Fafif Mar 14 2014 11:13 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Livan Hernandez, who looked done on the back end of his 2009 Met stay but kept at it for a few more years, officially packs it in.

G-Fafif Mar 16 2014 06:22 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Bill Bray Tweets his goodbye.

Edgy MD Mar 16 2014 06:40 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Not familiar with this Bray fellow. Looks like a lefty, though. Perhaps that means a job just opened up somewhere for Tim Byrdak.

G-Fafif Mar 16 2014 06:42 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Former pesky Nat & Redleg.

Frayed Knot Mar 16 2014 07:01 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

He was originally a 1st round/13th overall draft pick (OMAR!!) by the Expos in 2004 (one fewer of those around now) although I remember him mostly as being big bait in part of a multi-player* trade. ** July 13, 2006: Traded by the Washington Nationals with Royce Clayton, Brendan Harris, Gary Majewski and Daryl Thompson to the Cincinnati Reds for Austin Kearns, Felipe Lopez and Ryan Wagner.

cooby Mar 17 2014 07:13 PM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

G-Fafif wrote: Rod Barajas hangs 'em up, prepares lateral move into continuing careers thread as mgr in Padre system. Dang, I always loved his name. I hear the woodpeckers out back saying his name all the time.

G-Fafif Mar 22 2014 08:14 AM Re: Winter 2013/14 Retirements

Dan Wheeler always swore he'd step aside if another Wheeler rolled in to the big leagues.