2004 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 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
 

National League Retirements

2004

2, 12 Roberto Alomar Arizona Diamondbacks 2B 37
29 Danny Bautista Arizona Diamondbacks OF 33
48 Juan Brito Arizona Diamondbacks C 27
35 Greg Colbrunn Arizona Diamondbacks PH 35
26 Doug DeVore Arizona Diamondbacks OF 27
17 Bobby Estalella Arizona Diamondbacks C 30
39 Mike Fetters Arizona Diamondbacks P 40
43 Josh Kroeger Arizona Diamondbacks OF 22
6 Brent Mayne Arizona Diamondbacks C 37
40 Shane Nance Arizona Diamondbacks P 27
37 Shane Reynolds Arizona Diamondbacks P 37
36 Scott Service Arizona Diamondbacks P 38
23 Steve Sparks Arizona Diamondbacks P 39
43 Brandon Villafuerte Arizona Diamondbacks P 29
26 Will Cunnane Atlanta Braves P 31
46 Tim Drew Atlanta Braves P 26
28 Sam McConnell Atlanta Braves P 29
49 Jimmy Anderson Chicago Cubs P 29
24 Tom Goodwin Chicago Cubs OF 36
27 David Kelton Chicago Cubs OF 25
17 Calvin Murray Chicago Cubs OF 33
13, 29 Rey Ordonez Chicago Cubs SS 34
29 Andy Pratt Chicago Cubs P 25
31 Jung Bong Cincinnati Reds P 24
15 Darren Bragg Cincinnati Reds OF 35
43 Jimmy Haynes Cincinnati Reds P 32
60 Tim Hummel Cincinnati Reds 3B 26
11 Barry Larkin Cincinnati Reds SS 41
16 Brandon Larson Cincinnati Reds 3B 29
56 Aaron Myette Cincinnati Reds P 27
51 Phil Norton Cincinnati Reds P 29
52 Brian Reith Cincinnati Reds P 27
41 Jesus Sanchez Cincinnati Reds P 30
45 Todd Van Poppel Cincinnati Reds P 33
25 John Vander Wal Cincinnati Reds OF 39
59 Chris Gissell Colorado Rockies P 27
48 Marc Kroon Colorado Rockies P 32
19 Kit Pellow Colorado Rockies OF 31
7 Rene Reyes Colorado Rockies OF 27
99 Turk Wendell Colorado Rockies P 38
49 Jason Young Colorado Rockies P 25
33 Toby Borland Florida Marlins P 36
41 Franklyn Gracesqui Florida Marlins P 25
39 Ben Howard Florida Marlins P 26
88 Billy Koch Florida Marlins P 30
38 Josias Manzanillo Florida Marlins P 37
20 Mike Neu Florida Marlins P 27
27 Abraham Nunez Florida Marlins OF 28
29 Larry Sutton Florida Marlins 1B 35
48 Justin Wayne Florida Marlins P 26
29 Jason Alfaro Houston Astros SS 27
56 Kirk Bullinger Houston Astros P 35
47 Jeremy Griffiths Houston Astros P 27
27 Carlos Hernandez Houston Astros P 25
53 Peter Munro Houston Astros P 29
59 Chris Tremie Houston Astros C 35
37 Darren Dreifort Los Angeles Dodgers P 33
54 Jose Flores Los Angeles Dodgers 3B 31
6 Brent Mayne Los Angeles Dodgers C 37
46 Rodney Myers Los Angeles Dodgers P 35
57 Scott Stewart Los Angeles Dodgers P 29
23 Robin Ventura Los Angeles Dodgers 1B 37
7 Tom Wilson Los Angeles Dodgers C 34
43 Dave Burba Milwaukee Brewers P 38
8 Matt Erickson Milwaukee Brewers SS 29
48, 38 Ben Ford Milwaukee Brewers P 29
31 Adrian Hernandez Milwaukee Brewers P 30
55 Brooks Kieschnick Milwaukee Brewers P 32
50 Travis Phelps Milwaukee Brewers P 27
38 Chris Saenz Milwaukee Brewers P 23
50 Rigo Beltran Montreal Expos P 35
11 Peter Bergeron Montreal Expos OF 27
60 Rocky Biddle Montreal Expos P 29
22 Ron Calloway Montreal Expos OF 28
40 Jeremy Fikac Montreal Expos P 30
12 Andy Fox Montreal Expos SS 34
1 Josh Labandeira Montreal Expos SS 26
37 Luis Lopez Montreal Expos 1B 31
35 Val Pascucci Montreal Expos OF 26
10 Brian Buchanan New York Mets 1B 31
17 Wilson Delgado New York Mets SS 32
10 Jeff Duncan New York Mets OF 26
12 Danny Garcia New York Mets 2B 25
20 Karim Garcia New York Mets OF 29
6 Ricky Gutierrez New York Mets 2B 35
10 Joe Hietpas New York Mets C 26
49 Orber Moreno New York Mets P 28
46 Jose Parra New York Mets P 32
36 Grant Roberts New York Mets P 27
1 Esix Snead New York Mets OF 28
43 Shane Spencer New York Mets OF 33
6 Tom Wilson New York Mets C 34
27 Todd Zeile New York Mets 1B 39
40 Paul Abbott Philadelphia Phillies P 37
58 Lou Collier Philadelphia Phillies OF 31
6 Doug Glanville Philadelphia Phillies OF 34
2 A.J. Hinch Philadelphia Phillies C 31
51 Brian Powell Philadelphia Phillies P 31
56 Tony Alvarez Pittsburgh Pirates OF 26
41 Brian Boehringer Pittsburgh Pirates P 36
50 Jason Boyd Pittsburgh Pirates P 32
44 Mark Corey Pittsburgh Pirates P 30
24 Ruben Mateo Pittsburgh Pirates OF 27
55 Carlos Rivera Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 26
43 Willis Roberts Pittsburgh Pirates P 29
3 Chris Stynes Pittsburgh Pirates 3B 32
43 Andy Ashby San Diego Padres P 37
47 Rod Beck San Diego Padres P 36
18 Darren Bragg San Diego Padres PH 35
34 Brian Buchanan San Diego Padres OF 31
54 Mike Bynum San Diego Padres P 27
41 Sterling Hitchcock San Diego Padres P 34
54 Eddie Oropesa San Diego Padres P 33
58 Jason Szuminski San Diego Padres P 26
49 Dennis Tankersley San Diego Padres P 26
58 Steve Watkins San Diego Padres P 26
43 Dave Burba San Francisco Giants P 38
53 Leo Estrella San Francisco Giants P 30
1 Damon Minor San Francisco Giants 1B 31
31 Bo Hart St. Louis Cardinals 2B 28
12 Ray Lankford St. Louis Cardinals OF 37
26 Cody McKay St. Louis Cardinals C 31
54 Josh Pearce St. Louis Cardinals P 27
28 Colin Porter St. Louis Cardinals OF 29
2004 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 2004 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.

Stan Musial ended his Major League career on September 29, 1963. His final hit was a single during the sixth inning off Jim Maloney which drove in his last RBI (which was Curt Flood).