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Amaroq -> RE: Players retiring in-season (8/31/2005 3:58:45 AM)
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In support of that implementation:
No less than Babe Ruth retired in the middle of a season (1935), and Mike Schmidt was the Phillies starting third baseman when he retired in the middle of the 1989 season. Recently? Jim Abbott 1999, Ryne Sandberg 1994, Matt Williams 2003...
But my FAVORITE example is John Kruk, who retired in the middle of a GAME in 1995: he got a single in the first inning, raising his career average fractionally over .300, and promptly retired.
:-)
Even better, this guy did it twice:
quote:
The 2004 Central Baseball League Champion Edinburg Roadrunners are announcing today the retirement of catcher Eddie Fitzpatrick. This is the second time Fitzpatrick has retired mid-season. In 2003 Fitzpatrick retired after playing in just 22 games for the Roadrunners. Fitzpatrick came out of retirement for the 2004 season and helped lead the Roadrunners to a Central League Championship. In 43 games played this season Fitzpatrick was hitting a career low .145 with two home runs and nine runs batted in. Fitzpatrick informed Field Manager Vince Moore of his decision before the June 28th game against the Coastal Bend Aviators. No one has been signed yet to replace Fitzpatrick on the roster.
It does happen - and I would think its more frequent than we expect - just because there aren't that many "big names" who have done so in the last ten years doesn't mean it isn't happening. People are human beings, and human beings don't run on a "schedule" the way that sports simulation games do. They get hurt, they retire, they find that they aren't having fun anymore, or can't get it done anymore, or whatever, and that isn't always convenient to the team. Just ask the Dolphins about Ricky Williams.
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