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.

"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

2004

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

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.

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.