Greg Maddux officially announced his retirement on Monday, and while it was no surprise, word had leaked of his decision weeks ago, it was still a sad event. I actually got quite teary eyed just going through the barrage of photos to chose a picture to lead this post. (And I haven’t even been able to bring myself to watch the full press conference, but will have to eventually.) It’s hard to explain the emotion you feel, watching one of your childhood heroes hangs up their cleats. It’s almost like when someone tells you there is no Santa Claus and that innocence you once possessed is gone. When someone you grew up admiring retires, it’s like that little piece of childhood you continue to cling onto well into your 20s has to finally be let go.
Sure, by the end, he was not the dominant pitcher he once was, but he still played with a passion for the game and remained a very productive member of the team, teaching young pitchers by using his vast knowledge of baseball. Something, I am sure will make him an excellent pitching coach if he should ever choose to go down that path.
For all of the astounding stats he has produced (355 wins, 3.16 career ERA) and collection of awards he has in his trophy case (18 Gold Gloves, four Cy Young Awards) I’ll always keep the memory alive of the big three and their 10 seasons together in Atlanta (1993-2002), their 10 division titles, three trips to the World Series (1995, 96, 99) and their one World Series win in 1995.
With Maddux’s departure at the end of the 2003 season, I continued to follow his career as he went from the Cubs to the Dodgers to the Padres and back to the Dodgers. I remember sitting in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium during the All Star game talking to a huge Padres fan. She recounted how special it was to watch Maddux pitch, because he indeed was a professor on the mound. I unfortunately, never had a chance to watch him live in action, something I will always regret, but I will remember the countless games I watched him pitch in front of the TV in my family room as kid and will keep those memories close to my heart.
(Photo: Getty Images; source)
1 comment:
With the retirement of Greg Maddux on Tuesday, many look to him as one of the best of this generation.
Some stop short of saying the best due to Clemens.
Should we look on Roger Clemens the same way that we do Barry Bonds?
In unspoken fashion Baseball has spoken firmly and loudly regarding Bonds. They gave him his day when he hit 756 and then he has been little more than a quickly fading memory. And last year, down the stretch of the pennant race when teams were scrambling for that one additional bat in the middle of their lineup a seemingly now healthy Bonds received not as much as a slight negotiation.
Maddux finished one (1) victory ahead of Clemens on the all-time list but had Roger not taken the juice he would probably ended his career many years prior. How many years and how many victories has he added to his legacy due to better living through pharmaceuticals?
Who knows what the true number would be, but look at this:
From '93 to '96 Roger Clemens won 40 games total. A high of 11 in '93 and was injured for significant lengths of time in two of those seasons.
At age 35 in 1997 Clemens, following a sub par year with the Sox, signed with the Jays and won back to back Cy Young Awards.
He totaled four (4) Cy Young awards after 35 years of age, when most players, prior to the PED age, were golfing and signing autographs at card shows. From age 35 he logged 167 victories, close to half his career total of 354
My opinion is that Clemens would have faded to his ranch in Texas about 1998, retiring with 200 or so wins, a pension and good memories. Instead he cheated, just as Bonds and so many others did and it has skewed the record books for all time.
Long may they wane.
Post a Comment