2000 American League Retirements

The baseball torch is passed from season to season and in some cases, from game to game. In 1911, Cy Young pitched his final Major League game, lost 1-0, and ended the final season of his career with a losing record of 7-9 and an ERA of 3.77. Young's opponent that particular day was a first-year pitcher named Grover Alexander who received the win, added to his league leading shutout total, and went on to begin his career with a winning record of 28-13 and an ERA of 2.57.

Bob Gibson, who was easily one of the most intense competitors of all time, gave up a grand slam to the last Major League hitter he faced, Pete LaCock of the Chicago Cubs. Fifteen years passed and when the two faced off during an old-timer's game, Gibson hit LaCock on his back with a fastball.

Babe Ruth summed it up when he responded to a question about retirement by saying, "A ballplayer should quit when it starts to feel as if all the baselines run uphill." Baseball Almanac is pleased to present a comprehensive list of American League League players who hung up their spikes in 2000.

"I'll never make the mistake of being seventy (70) again." - Casey Stengel comment made after being told to quit following the 1960 World Series
 

American League Retirements

2000

23 Will Clark Baltimore Orioles 1B 37
10 Mike Stanley Oakland Athletics 1B 37
25 Hal Morris Detroit Tigers 1B 36
22 Dusty Allen Detroit Tigers 1B 28
21 Gregg Jefferies Detroit Tigers 1B 33
1, 46 Keith Johnson Anaheim Angels 1B 30
24 Mike Stanley Boston Red Sox 1B 37
1 Mickey Morandini Toronto Blue Jays 2B 35
4 Ray Holbert Kansas City Royals 2B 30
8 Justin Baughman Anaheim Angels 2B 26
26 Sean Berry Boston Red Sox 3B 35
20 Carlos Hernandez Seattle Mariners 3B 25
38 Wilton Veras Boston Red Sox 3B 23
6 Tom Evans Texas Rangers 3B 26
28 Craig Wilson Chicago White Sox 3B 30
65, 13 Ivanon Coffie Baltimore Orioles 3B 24
21 Charlie Greene Toronto Blue Jays C 30
56 Willie Morales Baltimore Orioles C 28
25 Chris Turner New York Yankees C 32
39 B.J. Waszgis Texas Rangers C 30
25 Gabe Alvarez Detroit Tigers DH 27
80 Carlos Casimiro Baltimore Orioles DH 24
6 Gary Gaetti Boston Red Sox DH 42
13 Jim Leyritz New York Yankees DH 37
29 Luis Polonia Detroit Tigers DH 37
42 Butch Huskey Minnesota Twins DH 29
39 Roberto Kelly New York Yankees OF 36
54 Rod Lindsey Detroit Tigers OF 25
2 Jason McDonald Texas Rangers OF 29
16 Andy Thompson Toronto Blue Jays OF 25
29 Mark Whiten Cleveland Indians OF 34
24 Rich Becker Detroit Tigers OF 29
22 Rich Becker Oakland Athletics OF 29
88 Albert Belle Baltimore Orioles OF 34
41 Scarborough Green Texas Rangers OF 26
19 Luis Polonia New York Yankees OF 37
38 Scott Pose Kansas City Royals OF 34
61 Alex Ramirez Cleveland Indians OF 26
9 Pedro Valdes Texas Rangers OF 27
6 Rich Amaral Baltimore Orioles OF 39
22 Edgard Clemente Anaheim Angels OF 25
31 Lance Johnson New York Yankees OF 37
44 Ozzie Timmons Tampa Bay Devil Rays OF 30
34 Clayton Andrews Toronto Blue Jays P 23
41 Tim Belcher Anaheim Angels P 39
38 Sean Bergman Minnesota Twins P 31
39 Doug Bochtler Kansas City Royals P 30
50 Jamie Brewington Cleveland Indians P 29
62 Cameron Cairncross Cleveland Indians P 29
54 Mark Clark Texas Rangers P 33
55 Rich Croushore Boston Red Sox P 30
56 Jeff D'Amico Kansas City Royals P 26
19 Jason Dickson Anaheim Angels P 28
48 Dave Eiland Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 34
67 Darrell Einertson New York Yankees P 28
45 Trevor Enders Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 26
49 Chris Fussell Kansas City Royals P 25
17 Dwight Gooden New York Yankees P 36
16 Dwight Gooden Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 36
39 Eric Gunderson Toronto Blue Jays P 35
57 Juan Guzman Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 34
58 Kevin Hodges Seattle Mariners P 27
46 Mark Johnson Detroit Tigers P 26
24 Doug Jones Oakland Athletics P 43
33 Marcus Jones Oakland Athletics P 26
30 Scott Kamieniecki Cleveland Indians P 37
33 Scott Karl Anaheim Angels P 29
54 Andy Larkin Kansas City Royals P 26
32 Brett Laxton Kansas City Royals P 27
40 Sang-Hoon Lee Boston Red Sox P 30
71 Willie Martinez Cleveland Indians P 23
63 Jim Morris Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 37
52 Danny Mota Minnesota Twins P 25
51 Mike Munoz Texas Rangers P 35
57 Dan Murray Kansas City Royals P 27
37 Jaime Navarro Cleveland Indians P 34
59 Alan Newman Cleveland Indians P 31
41 Steve Ontiveros Boston Red Sox P 40
38 Jesus Pena Boston Red Sox P 26
61 Jesus Pena Chicago White Sox P 26
37 Jim Poole Detroit Tigers P 35
31 Jason Rakers Kansas City Royals P 27
39 Robert Ramsay Seattle Mariners P 27
54 Jon Ratliff Oakland Athletics P 29
30 Brad Rigby Kansas City Royals P 28
36 Luis Rivera Baltimore Orioles P 22
50 Jose Rosado Kansas City Royals P 26
44 Sean Runyan Detroit Tigers P 26
54 Jason Ryan Minnesota Twins P 25
56 Rich Sauveur Oakland Athletics P 37
41 Bill Simas Chicago White Sox P 29
33 Mike Sirotka Chicago White Sox P 30
62 Jeff Sparks Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 29
22 Paul Spoljaric Kansas City Royals P 30
48 Jerry Spradlin Kansas City Royals P 33
29 Jay Spurgeon Baltimore Orioles P 24
26 Rob Stanifer Boston Red Sox P 29
39 Bryan Ward Anaheim Angels P 29
27 Allen Watson New York Yankees P 30
28 Eric Weaver Anaheim Angels P 27
35 John Wetteland Texas Rangers P 34
57 Brian Williams Cleveland Indians P 32
31 Ed Yarnall New York Yankees P 25
28, 59 Tim Young Boston Red Sox P 27
9 Gary DiSarcina Anaheim Angels SS 33
38 Kevin Stocker Anaheim Angels SS 31
19 Kevin Stocker Tampa Bay Devil Rays SS 31
39 Keith Luuloa Anaheim Angels SS 26
13 Ozzie Guillen Tampa Bay Devil Rays SS 37
2000 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 2000 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

On July 28, 1976, Blue Moon Odom pitched the final five innings of his Major League career. He was relieved by Francisco Barrios in the sixth inning and the two White Sox combined to pitch a 2-1 no-hitter versus the Oakland Athletics.

On September 28, 1960, broadcaster Curt Gowdy uttered, "It's got a chance. It's got a chance. And it's gone!" Those words were used to describe the final at-bat of slugger Ted Williams.