1999 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 1999.

"You are George Brett and all the cheering has stopped. The music is muted, the hour is late, and they will be taking the banners down and emptying your locker any minute now. As the late Jimmy Cannon would say it, 'All your bats are broken.'" - Broadcaster Jim Murray
 

American League Retirements

1999

37 Steve Decker Anaheim Angels C 34
4 Bret Hemphill Anaheim Angels C 28
33 Matt Luke Anaheim Angels OF 29
72 Jack McDowell Anaheim Angels P 34
46 Steve Mintz Anaheim Angels P 31
4 Dave Silvestri Anaheim Angels 3B 32
12 Reggie Williams Anaheim Angels OF 34
27 Jim Corsi Baltimore Orioles P 38
23 Tommy Davis Baltimore Orioles C 27
13 Mike Figga Baltimore Orioles C 29
55 Doug Johns Baltimore Orioles P 32
29 Derrick May Baltimore Orioles OF 31
24 Willis Otanez Baltimore Orioles 3B 27
61 Jin Ho Cho Boston Red Sox P 24
41 Jim Corsi Boston Red Sox P 38
50 Chad Fonville Boston Red Sox 2B 29
39 Creighton Gubanich Boston Red Sox C 28
18 Reggie Jefferson Boston Red Sox DH 31
56 Steve Lomasney Boston Red Sox C 22
57 Juan Pena Boston Red Sox P 22
31 Mark Portugal Boston Red Sox P 37
62 Marino Santana Boston Red Sox P 28
29 Bob Wolcott Boston Red Sox P 26
51 Pat Daneker Chicago White Sox P 24
34 Jason Dellaero Chicago White Sox SS 23
22 Darrin Jackson Chicago White Sox OF 37
52 Todd Rizzo Chicago White Sox P 29
55 Liu Rodriguez Chicago White Sox 2B 23
45 Paul Assenmacher Cleveland Indians P 39
49 Tom Candiotti Cleveland Indians P 42
47 Rich DeLucia Cleveland Indians P 35
22 Mark Langston Cleveland Indians P 39
37 Paul Wagner Cleveland Indians P 32
58 Will Brunson Detroit Tigers P 30
46 Luis Garcia Detroit Tigers SS 25
52 Beiker Graterol Detroit Tigers P 25
51 Mel Rojas Detroit Tigers P 33
44 Brian Barber Kansas City Royals P 27
2 Jed Hansen Kansas City Royals 2B 27
7 Jeff King Kansas City Royals 1B 35
8 Scott Leius Kansas City Royals 1B 34
39 Terry Mathews Kansas City Royals P 35
21 Jeff Montgomery Kansas City Royals P 38
51 Alvin Morman Kansas City Royals P 31
34 Marc Pisciotta Kansas City Royals P 29
34 Jim Pittsley Kansas City Royals P 26
6 Steve Scarsone Kansas City Royals SS 34
12 Tim Spehr Kansas City Royals C 33
34 Derek Wallace Kansas City Royals P 28
56 Cleatus Davidson Minnesota Twins 2B 23
5 Brent Gates Minnesota Twins 3B 30
49 Dan Perkins Minnesota Twins P 25
51 Rob Radlosky Minnesota Twins P 26
57 Gary Rath Minnesota Twins P 27
23 Benj Sampson Minnesota Twins P 25
36 Terry Steinbach Minnesota Twins C 38
45 Chili Davis New York Yankees DH 40
13 Mike Figga New York Yankees C 29
27 Tony Fossas New York Yankees P 42
57 Jeff Juden New York Yankees P 29
31 Dan Naulty New York Yankees P 30
39 Darryl Strawberry New York Yankees DH 38
49 Tom Candiotti Oakland Athletics P 42
58 Tim Kubinski Oakland Athletics P 28
15 Mike Macfarlane Oakland Athletics C 36
44 Mike Oquist Oakland Athletics P 32
6 Tony Phillips Oakland Athletics 2B 41
4, 16 Mike Blowers Seattle Mariners 1B 35
2 Rafael Bournigal Seattle Mariners SS 34
31 Melvin Bunch Seattle Mariners P 28
26 Rafael Carmona Seattle Mariners P 27
26 Domingo Cedeno Seattle Mariners SS 31
28 Ken Cloude Seattle Mariners P 25
4 Giomar Guevara Seattle Mariners SS 27
27 Butch Henry Seattle Mariners P 31
12 Shane Monahan Seattle Mariners OF 25
57 Aaron Scheffer Seattle Mariners P 24
41 Steve Sinclair Seattle Mariners P 28
46 Jordan Zimmerman Seattle Mariners P 25
12 Wade Boggs Tampa Bay Devil Rays 3B 41
10 Rich Butler Tampa Bay Devil Rays OF 27
41 Danny Clyburn Tampa Bay Devil Rays OF 26
28 Eddie Gaillard Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 29
31 Tony Saunders Tampa Bay Devil Rays P 26
44 Paul Sorrento Tampa Bay Devil Rays OF 34
37 Corey Lee Texas Rangers P 25
15 Jon Shave Texas Rangers SS 32
16 Mike Simms Texas Rangers 1B 33
2 Jacob Brumfield Toronto Blue Jays OF 35
20 Rob Butler Toronto Blue Jays OF 30
17 Curtis Goodwin Toronto Blue Jays OF 27
43 John Hudek Toronto Blue Jays P 33
7 Pat Kelly Toronto Blue Jays 2B 32
20 Patrick Lennon Toronto Blue Jays OF 32
40 Eric Ludwick Toronto Blue Jays P 28
38, 3 Norberto Martin Toronto Blue Jays 2B 33
56 Brian McRae Toronto Blue Jays DH 32
21 Willis Otanez Toronto Blue Jays 3B 27
46 Mike Romano Toronto Blue Jays P 28
46 Steve Sinclair Toronto Blue Jays P 28
1999 American League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the American League during the 1999 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

On September 28, 1960, broadcaster Curt Gowdy uttered, "It's got a chance. It's got a chance. And it's gone!" Those words were used to describe the final at-bat of slugger Ted Williams.

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.