2000 National 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 National 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
 

National League Retirements

2000

28, 22 Will Clark St. Louis Cardinals 1B 37
61 Talmadge Nunnari Montreal Expos 1B 26
28 Chris Pritchett Philadelphia Phillies 1B 31
26 Nate Rolison Florida Marlins 1B 24
19 Brian Hunter Philadelphia Phillies 1B 33
9 Hal Morris Cincinnati Reds 1B 36
23 Jeff Manto Colorado Rockies 1B 36
21 Dusty Allen San Diego Padres 1B 28
38, 39 Alex Cabrera Arizona Diamondbacks 1B 29
20 Tim Unroe Atlanta Braves 1B 30
18 Jim Leyritz Los Angeles Dodgers 1B 37
28 Juan Melo San Francisco Giants 2B 24
12 Mickey Morandini Philadelphia Phillies 2B 35
2 Chris Clapinski Florida Marlins 2B 29
28 Mike Bell Cincinnati Reds 3B 26
7 Sean Berry Milwaukee Brewers 3B 35
39 Willie Greene Chicago Cubs 3B 29
53 Trace Coquillette Montreal Expos 3B 26
18 Aaron Ledesma Colorado Rockies 3B 29
29 Jeff Huson Chicago Cubs 3B 36
9 Gabe Alvarez San Diego Padres 3B 27
15 Clemente Alvarez Philadelphia Phillies C 33
56 Frank Charles Houston Astros C 32
8 Carlos Hernandez St. Louis Cardinals C 34
21 Charlie O'Brien Montreal Expos C 41
16 Jeff Reed Chicago Cubs C 38
58 Yohanny Valera Montreal Expos C 24
15 Lenny Webster Montreal Expos C 36
39 George Williams San Diego Padres C 32
59 Carlos Hernandez San Diego Padres C 34
19 Brian Hunter Atlanta Braves PH 33
18 Cole Liniak Chicago Cubs PH 24
23 Eddie Zosky Houston Astros PH 33
22 Tarrik Brock Chicago Cubs OF 27
47 Shawn Gilbert Los Angeles Dodgers OF 36
38, 39 Chris Jones Milwaukee Brewers OF 35
29 Carlos Mendoza Colorado Rockies OF 26
23 Matt Mieske Arizona Diamondbacks OF 33
23 Matt Mieske Houston Astros OF 33
26 Jon Nunnally New York Mets OF 29
35, 37 Brant Brown Chicago Cubs OF 29
37 Brant Brown Florida Marlins OF 29
35 Butch Huskey Colorado Rockies OF 29
61 Alex Ramirez Pittsburgh Pirates OF 26
14 Terrell Lowery San Francisco Giants OF 30
5 Thomas Howard St. Louis Cardinals OF 36
17 Geronimo Berroa Los Angeles Dodgers OF 36
22 John Roskos San Diego Padres OF 26
45 Mike Metcalfe Los Angeles Dodgers OF 28
11 Steve Sisco Atlanta Braves OF 31
23 Bubba Carpenter Colorado Rockies OF 32
38 Rick Aguilera Chicago Cubs P 39
30 Scott Aldred Philadelphia Phillies P 32
55 Jamie Arnold Chicago Cubs P 27
52 Jamie Arnold Los Angeles Dodgers P 27
36 Stan Belinda Atlanta Braves P 34
37 Stan Belinda Colorado Rockies P 34
49 Mark Brownson Philadelphia Phillies P 25
56 Justin Brunette St. Louis Cardinals P 25
88 Jim Bruske Milwaukee Brewers P 36
29 Eric Cammack New York Mets P 25
52 Brad Clontz Pittsburgh Pirates P 30
67 Francisco Cordova Pittsburgh Pirates P 29
38 Reid Cornelius Florida Marlins P 30
54 Rich Croushore Colorado Rockies P 30
37 Miguel Del Toro San Francisco Giants P 28
45 Jerry DiPoto Colorado Rockies P 33
32 Alex Fernandez Florida Marlins P 31
51 Scott Forster Montreal Expos P 29
64 Mike Garcia Pittsburgh Pirates P 33
76 Daniel Garibay Chicago Cubs P 28
59 Keith Glauber Cincinnati Reds P 29
16 Dwight Gooden Houston Astros P 36
54 Jason Green Houston Astros P 25
56 Kip Gross Houston Astros P 36
43 Domingo Guzman San Diego Padres P 26
55 Orel Hershiser Los Angeles Dodgers P 42
46 Mark Holzemer Philadelphia Phillies P 31
48 Craig House Colorado Rockies P 23
43 Thomas Jacquez Philadelphia Phillies P 25
49 John Johnstone San Francisco Giants P 32
50 Scott Kamieniecki Atlanta Braves P 37
52 Matt Karchner Chicago Cubs P 33
19, 42 Scott Karl Colorado Rockies P 29
57 Yovanny Lara Montreal Expos P 25
52 Andy Larkin Cincinnati Reds P 26
53 Larry Luebbers Cincinnati Reds P 31
36 Mike Maddux Houston Astros P 39
50 Onan Masaoka Los Angeles Dodgers P 23
30 Kevin McGlinchy Atlanta Braves P 23
38 Greg McMichael Atlanta Braves P 34
27 Steve Montgomery San Diego Padres P 30
31 David Moraga Colorado Rockies P 25
48 David Moraga Montreal Expos P 25
52 Joey Nation Chicago Cubs P 22
38 Jaime Navarro Milwaukee Brewers P 34
58 Brian O'Connor Pittsburgh Pirates P 24
57 Vicente Palacios San Diego Padres P 37
33 Carlos Perez Los Angeles Dodgers P 30
48 Jim Poole Montreal Expos P 35
49 Jeremy Powell Montreal Expos P 24
41 Steve Rain Chicago Cubs P 25
54 Hector Ramirez Milwaukee Brewers P 29
31 Brad Rigby Montreal Expos P 28
72 Luis Rivera Atlanta Braves P 22
52 Rafael Roque Milwaukee Brewers P 29
52 Steve Schrenk Philadelphia Phillies P 32
53 Matt Skrmetta Montreal Expos P 28
64 Matt Skrmetta Pittsburgh Pirates P 28
58 Heathcliff Slocumb San Diego Padres P 34
58 Heathcliff Slocumb St. Louis Cardinals P 34
26 Brian Smith Pittsburgh Pirates P 28
59 John Snyder Milwaukee Brewers P 26
57 Steve Sparks Pittsburgh Pirates P 26
53 Sean Spencer Montreal Expos P 26
32 Stan Spencer San Diego Padres P 31
37 Jerry Spradlin Chicago Cubs P 33
56 Dave Stevens Atlanta Braves P 31
46 Mark Thompson St. Louis Cardinals P 30
70 Ismael Villegas Atlanta Braves P 24
44 Dave Wainhouse St. Louis Cardinals P 33
37 Bryan Ward Philadelphia Phillies P 29
50 Matt Whisenant San Diego Padres P 29
51 Brian Williams Chicago Cubs P 32
41 Matt Williams Milwaukee Brewers P 30
35 Danny Young Chicago Cubs P 29
22 Walt Weiss Atlanta Braves SS 37
16 Kevin Nicholson San Diego Padres SS 25
43 Kevin Elster Los Angeles Dodgers SS 36
2 Hanley Frias Arizona Diamondbacks SS 27
26 Chris Sexton Cincinnati Reds SS 29
2000 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National 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.

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.