Greg Maddux to announce retirement

[Spatlese]

Certainly the flip side of all these OJ and Burress stories. His retirement is no surprise as he has been on the decline, however it should be quite a legacy he leaves: control, intelligence, and consistency over pure power. And a class act. I don't follow baseball much these days, but will we see anyone approach 350 wins again in our lifetimes? (Heck, even 300 will probably be a rarity).

Interested in comments from the more avid baseball fans. Where does Maddux rank for you?

 

[lee_44106]

Sad but good to hear that.

Maddux was a cool ace. His control of the baseball was up there was some of the best. He made up for the lack of pure heat with finesse. What a dominanting pitcher in the late 90's.

 

[rjmaiorano]

Sad to see him go but probably the right time.

I had a chance to see him play quite a bit in his last few years with the Padres and what was most evident is how much he really loved to play the game. While the stove was heating on him being traded there was a quote from him along the lines of "I would rather stay in San Diego so I can be close to my kids (Las Vegas) than go to the East Coast and play for a contender". As much as he and the Padres were struggling he was still enjoying coaching younger players and loved the competition playing for a winning team or a losing one, as evidenced by continuing to win gold gloves. Eventually he went to LA, which is understandable both from his perspective and from a business one.

But getting to see him play in SD for a few years was really a treat, even when not in his prime, because he was the consummate competitor and truly loved the game. He reminded me a lot of Tony G in that regard. I don't think we'll see many like him anymore... although there is a pretty special kid pitching up in SF.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Tremendous legacy here in GA and many Braves fans have fond memories.

 

[thekunk07]

held on a bit too long and never dominant (k wise, anyway) or scary but had one of the most amazing 8 year stretches i've ever seen or heard of.

 

[Steve B.]

I look at him through a Fantasy BB lense and therefore am ambivalent at best.

I don't think that's a good way to judge him.

 

[Baron]

I feel very lucky to have seen Maddux, Pedro and Randy Johnson pitch their whole career. I'd throw Clemens in there as well but I hate him. All time greats that truly dominated in an hitters' era.

 

[Steve B.]

Originally Posted by Baron

I feel very lucky to have seen Maddux, Pedro and Randy Johnson pitch their whole career. I'd throw Clemens in there as well but I hate him. All time greats that truly dominated in an hitters' era.

I think Randy needs to stroll away into that gentle sunset.

Pedro perhaps as well.

I TOTALLY agree on Clemens.

An asshole's asshole.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by thekunk07

held on a bit too long and never dominant (k wise, anyway) or scary but had one of the most amazing 8 year stretches i've ever seen or heard of.

I disagree. As long as he could make positive contributions and was enjoying what he was doing, more power to him. And measuring dominance by strikeouts (although he did have decent strikeout totals in his prime) is a fantasy baseball metric, not a real baseball metric. What counts is the likelihood that you'd win a game he was pitching for you. Who was the more "dominant" pitcher, either in their prime or over the course of a career: Greg Maddux or Kerry Wood (who has averaged more than 10 k's per nine innings over his career). (Admittedly a less-than-perfect comparison, but it's off the top of my head, and you obviously get the point.)

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by Baron

I feel very lucky to have seen Maddux, Pedro and Randy Johnson pitch their whole career. I'd throw Clemens in there as well but I hate him. All time greats that truly dominated in an hitters' era.

Since you're an old-timer like me, I know you also got to watch Nolan Ryan when he was at the top of his game, which was a real treat. I got to see his final no-hitter in person, which was sweet.

 

[Mauby]

Greg Maddux was/is awesome. He always seemed like a class act off the field as well, though I didn't read every maddux story out there. It would have been fitting if the Cubs took him back for a third outing, got them to the World Series, and retired just before game 7 leading to another Cub fans cursed story. Joking of course...the Cubs never treated him with the respect he had earned.

 

[Baron]

Originally Posted by lawyerdad

Since you're an old-timer like me, I know you also got to watch Nolan Ryan when he was at the top of his game, which was a real treat. I got to see his final no-hitter in person, which was sweet.

I was in college at Stanford in 1990 when he pitched his 6th no-hitter in Oakland. Me and my buddy actually discussed going to the game "just in case" he threw another no-hitter, which we were kinda joking about because, jeez, ridiculous right? 43 years old already. Last no-no was in 1981. So we didn't go, and he DID throw a no hitter and struck out 14. Then he goes and throws another one the next year. Wow.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by Baron

I was in college at Stanford in 1990 when he pitched his 6th no-hitter in Oakland. Me and my buddy actually discussed going to the game "just in case" he threw another no-hitter, which we were kinda joking about because, jeez, ridiculous right? 43 years old already. Last no-no was in 1981. So we didn't go, and he DID throw a no hitter and struck out 14. Then he goes and throws another one the next year. Wow.
Oops, I misremembered. The Oakland no-hitter (you meant 1991 for the last one, not 1981, right? We aren't that old. ) was the one I saw. So I saw the next-to-last -- forgot their was one more. Last one was against the Dodgers?

 

[Spatlese]

Originally Posted by Steve B.

I think Randy needs to stroll away into that gentle sunset.

Pedro perhaps as well.

I TOTALLY agree on Clemens.

An asshole's asshole.

+1. It was somewhat gratifying, for whatever symbolism one might draw from it, to see Maddux move one ahead of Clemens in career wins this past season

 

[Baron]

Originally Posted by lawyerdad

Oops, I misremembered. The Oakland no-hitter (you meant 1991 for the last one, not 1981, right? We aren't that old. ) was the one I saw. So I saw the next-to-last -- forgot their was one more. Last one was against the Dodgers?

I meant that we thought it was silly to think we might see a no hitter that night because his last one previous was in 1981. That one was against the Dodgers. I watched it live on TV. I'm pretty sure that Dusty Baker made the last out. He did then throw a 7th in 1991. His last one was in Arlington Stadium, v. Toronto (I looked that up).