Greg Maddux is leaving baseball. The four-time Cy Young winner will announce his retirement Monday at the baseball winter meetings, near his home in Las Vegas. Maddux, who turns 43 in April, ranks eighth on the career wins list with 355. He went 8-13 with a 4.22 ERA last season with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.A man of integrity, class, and unparalleled studiousness, Maddux will retire with a 355-227 record over 23 seasons, a remarkable run for a control pitcher with a lean physique and a mediocre fastball.
Maddux made three relief appearances in the playoffs for the Dodgers this year - he had an 0.00 ERA over four innings - and then filed for free agency amid speculation he would retire.
On Friday, confirmation came from the office of Maddux's agent, Scott Boras. Maddux, his family and Boras will hold a news conference at the hotel where the meetings are being held to announce one of baseball's greatest pitchers is finished.
His intense focus, determination, and dedication to his craft--matched only, perhaps, by the dedication of his greatest nemesis, Tony Gwynn--will one day take him to the Hall.
If Greg Maddux taught us anything, it's that nerds can be jocks, too.
When you compare Maddux's numbers to those of other pitchers of his era, and when you consider the tiny-parks steroid-aided numbers of hitters in that era, he might be on the short list for one of the best ever. I finally saw him get a win at Coors Field last year--glad I did.
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