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 want to hit a routine grounder to second and run all out to first base, then get thrown out by a half step. I want to leave an example to the young guys that that's how you play the game, all out." - George Brett
 

American League Retirements

2000

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

Goose Goslin played for eighteen seasons and averaged one-hundred twenty-seven games played per season. In 1938, during his final at-bat, he twisted his back and was replaced at the plate by a pinch-hitter for the first time in his Major League career.

Hank Aaron ended his Major League career on October 3, 1976, with a sharp single during the sixth inning off Dave Roberts of the Detroit Tigers.