2004 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 2004.

"You start chasing a ball and your brain immediately commands your body to: Run forward. Bend. Scoop up the ball. Peg it to the infield. Then your body says, 'Who, me?'" - Retirement comment made by Joe DiMaggio
 

American League Retirements

2004

65 Dusty Bergman Anaheim Angels P 27
43, 20 Andres Galarraga Anaheim Angels DH 43
18 Shane Halter Anaheim Angels 3B 35
52 Matt Hensley Anaheim Angels P 26
10 Adam Riggs Anaheim Angels OF 32
29 Kurt Ainsworth Baltimore Orioles P 26
49 Darwin Cubillan Baltimore Orioles P 32
47 Karim Garcia Baltimore Orioles OF 29
14 Jose Leon Baltimore Orioles 1B 28
72 Robert Machado Baltimore Orioles C 31
63 Val Majewski Baltimore Orioles OF 23
16 Tim Raines, Jr. Baltimore Orioles OF 25
23 David Segui Baltimore Orioles DH 38
56 Jimmy Anderson Boston Red Sox P 29
52 Jamie Brown Boston Red Sox P 28
25 Ellis Burks Boston Red Sox DH 40
31 Cesar Crespo Boston Red Sox SS 26
16 Ricky Gutierrez Boston Red Sox 2B 35
36 Bobby Jones Boston Red Sox P 33
30 Curtis Leskanic Boston Red Sox P 37
46 Mark Malaska Boston Red Sox P 27
67 Anastacio Martinez Boston Red Sox P 26
58 Sandy Martinez Boston Red Sox C 34
3 Pokey Reese Boston Red Sox SS 31
53 Phil Seibel Boston Red Sox P 26
37 Earl Snyder Boston Red Sox 3B 29
12 Roberto Alomar Chicago White Sox 2B 37
12, 31 Ben Davis Chicago White Sox C 28
54 Felix Diaz Chicago White Sox P 24
32 Kelly Dransfeldt Chicago White Sox SS 30
38 Mike Jackson Chicago White Sox P 40
44 Billy Koch Chicago White Sox P 30
48 Josh Stewart Chicago White Sox P 26
36 Danny Wright Chicago White Sox P 27
27 Jack Cressend Cleveland Indians P 30
31 Jeff D'Amico Cleveland Indians P 29
58 Joey Dawley Cleveland Indians P 33
57 Kyle Denney Cleveland Indians P 27
45 Raul Gonzalez Cleveland Indians OF 31
36 Jose Jimenez Cleveland Indians P 31
47 David Lee Cleveland Indians P 32
31 Mark Little Cleveland Indians OF 32
2 Sandy Martinez Cleveland Indians C 34
57 Lou Pote Cleveland Indians P 33
49 Jake Robbins Cleveland Indians P 29
53 Jeriome Robertson Cleveland Indians P 28
55 Scott Stewart Cleveland Indians P 29
36 Ernie Young Cleveland Indians DH 35
34 Nate Cornejo Detroit Tigers P 25
35 Gary Knotts Detroit Tigers P 28
17 Danny Patterson Detroit Tigers P 34
10 Fernando Vina Detroit Tigers 2B 36
55 Kevin Appier Kansas City Royals P 37
24 Brandon Berger Kansas City Royals OF 30
32 Chris George Kansas City Royals P 25
31 Byron Gettis Kansas City Royals OF 25
1 Wilton Guerrero Kansas City Royals 2B 30
37 Justin Huisman Kansas City Royals P 26
33 Curtis Leskanic Kansas City Royals P 37
7 Mendy Lopez Kansas City Royals 2B 31
24 Ruben Mateo Kansas City Royals OF 27
38 Abraham Nunez Kansas City Royals OF 28
50 Jimmy Serrano Kansas City Royals P 29
47 Scott Sullivan Kansas City Royals P 34
24 Rich Thompson Kansas City Royals OF 26
3 Mike Tonis Kansas City Royals C 26
59 Eduardo Villacis Kansas City Royals P 25
17 Alex Prieto Minnesota Twins 2B 28
51 Carlos Pulido Minnesota Twins P 33
71 Joe Roa Minnesota Twins P 33
18 Homer Bush New York Yankees 2B 32
60 Sam Marsonek New York Yankees P 26
46 Donovan Osborne New York Yankees P 35
47 Ramon Castro Oakland Athletics 3B 25
32 Eric Karros Oakland Athletics 1B 37
2 Mark McLemore Oakland Athletics 2B 40
13 Billy McMillon Oakland Athletics OF 33
13 Ben Davis Seattle Mariners C 28
33 Bucky Jacobsen Seattle Mariners 1B 29
30 Mickey Lopez Seattle Mariners 2B 31
11 Edgar Martinez Seattle Mariners DH 42
54 Aaron Taylor Seattle Mariners P 27
34 Paul Abbott Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 37
26 Brook Fordyce Tampa Bay Devil Rays C 35
43 Dicky Gonzalez Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 26
29 Fred McGriff Tampa Bay Devil Rays DH 41
32 Damian Moss Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 28
31 Todd Ritchie Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 33
10 Damian Rolls Tampa Bay Devil Rays OF 27
51 Nick Bierbrodt Texas Rangers P 27
36 Mickey Callaway Texas Rangers P 30
19 Jason Conti Texas Rangers OF 30
5 Andy Fox Texas Rangers 2B 34
20 Brad Fullmer Texas Rangers DH 30
56 Rosman Garcia Texas Rangers P 26
49 Sam Narron Texas Rangers P 23
35 Herbert Perry Texas Rangers DH 35
49 Ryan Snare Texas Rangers P 26
2 Dave Berg Toronto Blue Jays OF 34
17 Eric Crozier Toronto Blue Jays DH 26
20 Bobby Estalella Toronto Blue Jays C 30
36 Bob File Toronto Blue Jays P 28
48 Kevin Frederick Toronto Blue Jays P 28
41 Pat Hentgen Toronto Blue Jays P 36
33 Chad Hermansen Toronto Blue Jays OF 27
23 Jason Kershner Toronto Blue Jays P 28
51 David Maurer Toronto Blue Jays P 30
59 Adam Peterson Toronto Blue Jays P 26
18 Simon Pond Toronto Blue Jays OF 28
2004 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 2004 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

Did you know that future hall of fame pitcher Walter Johnson ended his Major League career in 1927 with a pinch-hit appearance? During the final game of the season pitcher Tom Zachary, who had just given up Babe Ruth's sixtieth home run of the season, was lifted and Johnson replaced him at the plate.

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.