Greg Maddux To Retire

[MHizzle85]

per ESPN.com

Greg Maddux has thrown his last pitch.

 

The four-time Cy Young winner will announce his retirement Monday at the baseball winter meetings, near his home in Las Vegas.

 

It took Greg Maddux 23 seasons to rack up four Cy Young Awards, eight All-Star appearances, 18 Gold Gloves, one World Series ring and perhaps his most impressive accomplishment, 355 wins.

 

Maddux, who turns 43 in April, ranks eighth on the career wins list with 355. He went 8-13 with a 4.22 ERA last season with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.

 

Maddux made three relief appearances in the playoffs for the Dodgers this year -- he had an 0.00 ERA over four innings -- and then filed for free agency amid speculation he would retire.

 

On Friday, confirmation came from the office of Maddux's agent, Scott Boras. Maddux, his family and Boras will hold a news conference at the hotel where the meetings are being held to announce one of baseball's greatest pitchers is finished.

 

Last month, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti left open the possibility that Maddux would return for a 24th season in the majors.

 

"I told Scott we'd love to have him back, and we're not going to be closing the door on Greg Maddux anytime soon," Colletti said at the time. "I've known him for a long, long time. I respect who he is and admire him for what he's done. I know the impact he has on a club and on a franchise."

 

Maddux finished one win ahead of Roger Clemens on the career victory list. Overall, "Mad Dog" was 355-227 with a 3.16 ERA, and is considered a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer when he becomes eligible after five years.

 

Noted for impeccable control, Maddux won Cy Young Awards from 1992-95 and earned a record 18 Gold Gloves while with the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta, Dodgers and Padres.

 

Maddux was an eight-time All-Star and won at least 13 games in 20 straight seasons, a streak that ended this year.

 

The last-place Padres traded Maddux to the Dodgers on Aug. 19 for two minor leaguers to be named or cash, and went 2-4 in seven starts for Los Angeles. His last start for the NL West champions was a gem -- he beat San Francisco, giving up one run and two hits in six innings.

 

"He's remarkable," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said after the 2-1 victory. "I've watched and admired him from across the field. Tonight was, you could say, vintage."

 

Said Maddux following the win: "In all honesty, I have felt this game has given me more than I ever thought it would in the first place. I just wanted to have a good game. I haven't had many since I got here."

 

While Maddux finished on the West Coast, he will always be associated with top teams in Atlanta. Along with fellow 300-game winner Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, Maddux helped the Braves win division titles for more than a decade, and they won their lone World Series championship there in 1995.

 

Glavine and Smoltz are both in their 40s and coming off arm operations, and their futures are in doubt. Longtime teammates on the field and golfing buddies away from the field, there has long been talk that Atlanta's Big Three might someday be reunited -- with election to the Hall on the very same day.

 

Maddux made his major league debut in September 1986 with the Cubs. As a pinch-runner, in fact. He wound up losing that game in relief.

 

His brother, Mike, started his big league career three months earlier as a pitcher for Philadelphia. He recently was hired as Texas' pitching coach.

 

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

[Balta1701]

A magician with the strike zone.

[kjshoe04]

Great Pitcher. One of the best I've ever seen, up there with Pedro.

[Sox It To Em]

It just hit me that I've seen Greg Maddux pitch for the last time, and that really sucks.

[max power]

Nah, I've just always been disgusted by the way he looks when he licks his hand. Its just that and nothing more. If I walked around slobbering on my hand all day people would think I was gross too. Especially if I looked like I actually enjoyed it, like he does.

[Balta1701]

Man it's hard to fathom just how good he actually was.

 

He put up a WHIP of 0.811 one year.

[whitesoxfan101]

If he's not the best pitcher ever to live on a fastball that rarely (if ever) got above 90 miles per hour, I'd love to know who is. He's one of the best ever period though, it's a shame guys like him can't just pitch forever.

[WilliamTell]

It's a sad day, I'll miss watching him pitch on TV. I wish I would've been able to see him.

[Gregory Pratt]

Man it's hard to fathom just how good he actually was.

 

He put up a WHIP of 0.811 one year.

 

Over, I think, seven years, he averaged a sub-1 WHIP, if I recall correctly. (I know it was over five years, and I think it was up to 7.)

[Gregory Pratt]

It's a sad day, I'll miss watching him pitch on TV. I wish I would've been able to see him.

 

I take great pleasure in knowing that I watched his last start in Chicago, at Wrigley Field, and that I had great seats behind his dugout for it. There are few games I'd "empty" out the wallet for like that game. I just wish I'd watched him live, in his prime. But I'm really glad I defended him when this idiot was trashing him as he walked out of the game.

[daa84]

he was unreal...that said its hard for me to like a guy who played 10 outa 23 years for the cubs...but i still manage to somewhat like maddux

[maggliopipe]

Does he make the hall? Remember, it's the hall of fame, not the hall of very good.

 

This is the perfect time for him to retire. There are no easily attainable milestones in the near future and he's still been solid the last few years so he's not sticking around too long. I'll miss him but I sure wish he had pitched in the AL.

 

 

 

[Gregory Pratt]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ...ux/?eref=sircrc

[Gregory Pratt]

I actually feel as if something really important has left my life. I won't be able to watch out Greg Maddux starts every fifth day anymore.

[Kalapse]

Over, I think, seven years, he averaged a sub-1 WHIP, if I recall correctly. (I know it was over five years, and I think it was up to 7.)

8/24/91 - 9/27/98:

 

236 GS, 1749.1 IP, 132-57 (.698 WIN%), 2.18 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 0.35 HR/9, 4.67 K/BB, 60 CG, 20 SHO

 

Not bad.

[SoxAce]

My god.... This probably won't fully hit me till months from now. A true pitcher in every aspect of the word. I've never seen a pitcher who could actually throw a pitch directly into a glove, anywhere he wanted and not have it move one inch like he did. Not to mention he was the best ever at fielding his position. I still won't/can't believe Mad Dog is gone... but he is. You think the Cubs are still sour on letting him go entering his prime 15+ years ago? Wow.

[Chisoxfn]

Easily one of my all time favorite baseball players and arguably the greatest "pitcher" of all time (and say that using the term "pitcher" in the sense that he flat out knew how to pitch and perfected the art of pitching).

[Texsox]

What an amazing talent and class act. I'm glad to see him finish ahead of Clemens on the win list. And unlike Rocket, I do not see Maddux deciding to "unretire" to pitch a couple months at the end of the season.

[southsider2k5]

I was selfishly hoping Maddux would stick around long enough to pass everyone up to third place on the all time wins list. All he needed was 18. What an incredible career. He is a first ballot HOFer, no doubt.