Roberto Alomar Retires

[Guest Flawless Cowboy]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Roberto Alomar, a 12-time All-Star who signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays with hopes of playing one final season, retired Saturday

Alomar's announcement came one day after he committed two errors in one inning of a spring training game. The 37-year-old Alomar has been bothered by back and vision problems in recent weeks.

"I played a lot of games and I said I would never embarrass myself on the field," Alomar said. "I had a long career, but I can't play at the level I want to play, so it's time to retire."

This would have been the 18th major league season for Alomar, who also played for San Diego, Toronto, Baltimore, Cleveland, the New York Mets, Arizona, and the Chicago White Sox.

He signed a $600,000, one-year contract with the Devil Rays in January, hopeful that he could end his stellar career on a high note after a swift decline the past three seasons. The team penciled him in as the everyday second baseman and No. 2 hitter.

Alomar, though, said he had doubts even entering camp.

"I just can't go anymore," Alomar said. "My back, legs and eyes aren't the same. I don't want to embarrass myself or my teammates."

With Alomar leaving, Jorge Cantu -- who hit .301 in 50 games for Tampa Bay last season, his first in the major leagues -- figures to take over at second base.

"I learned a lot from him and I have all the respect in the world for him," Cantu said. "I watched him when I was a kid and looked up to him all through the minor leagues. You have to respect what he's done."

A 10-time Gold Glove winner and career .300 hitter, Alomar is 276 hits shy of 3,000. He was an All-Star for 11 consecutive seasons from 1991-2001, but has struggled while batting .266, .258 and .263 the past three years.

In 2004, he missed two months with a broken right hand and finished with four homers and 24 RBIs in 56 games for Arizona and the White Sox.

Alomar's stellar career also included an infamous altercation with an umpire. In 1996, upset over strike calls, Alomar -- then with the Baltimore Orioles -- spat in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck in Toronto.

Alomar made matters worse afterward by saying he thought Hirschbeck was under stress because his 8-year-old son, John Drew, had died of a rare brain disease in 1993 known as adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD).

Yet soon, Alomar and Hirschbeck became friends, and even worked together to raise money earmarked for finding a cure for ALD. And Alomar hopes that mistake doesn't mar his legacy.

"I wish it never happened," Alomar said, "and I hope that's not how people remember me."

Also Saturday, Tampa Bay right fielder Danny Bautista, who hit .286 with 11 homers and 65 RBIs last season with Arizona, announced his retirement.

Bautista was in the major leagues for parts of 12 seasons with Detroit, Atlanta, Florida and the Diamondbacks. He hit .272 in 895 career games, and was 7-for-12 to help Arizona beat the New York Yankees in the 2001 World Series.

Source: ESPN.com

[Guest Brady_3for3]

I always hated him. He just had such a smug, smart-ass look on his face. And I hated the Blue Jays cuz they won those two World Series

[Enter Blue Guy]

Roberto Alomar was awesome. I love all the classic Jays. Hell, I can name 4 or 5 players from this years team, but remember a ton from their World Series days.

Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, Pat Hentgen John Olerud, Pat Borders, Paul Molitor, Devon White, Ed Sprague, Juan Guzman, Dave Winfield, Kelly Gruber, Jack Morris...

Good times.

[Guest Mr McFarlane]

I always hated him.  He just had such a smug, smart-ass look on his face.  And I hated the Blue Jays cuz they won those two World Series

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[Guest Wrestling_Man]

Alomar was real good with the Orioles also, but I think and I hate to say this, his claim to fame for his career will be when he spat on the umpire, that will be what everybody will remember him for, not his playing, sorry.

[Ol' Spanktooth]

...no they won't. I actually totally forgot about that until you brought it up.

He's one of my all time favorite players, as I'm a huge Indians fan, and always loved him when he played for them. It's sad to see him go.

[MalaCloudy Black]

that will be what everybody will remember him for, not his playing, sorry.

Uh..no? I, for one, remember him for being a fantastic player, not because he spat on an umpire. That's just stupid.

Speaking of Alomars, does Sandy still play?

[Guest Mr McFarlane]

that will be what everybody will remember him for, not his playing, sorry.

Uh..no? I, for one, remember him for being a fantastic player, not because he spat on an umpire. That's just stupid.

Speaking of Alomars, does Sandy still play?

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[Green Demon]

Roberto and Omar Vizquel playing next to each other was great to watch his legacy will be his baseball stats. One incident will not reflect that badly on that great of a career.

[Ananas]

that will be what everybody will remember him for, not his playing, sorry.

Uh..no? I, for one, remember him for being a fantastic player, not because he spat on an umpire. That's just stupid.

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[thatshortguy]

that will be what everybody will remember him for, not his playing, sorry.

Uh..no? I, for one, remember him for being a fantastic player, not because he spat on an umpire. That's just stupid.

←

No it isn't. He spat on an umpire and then proceded to blame the whole thing on Hirschbeck because he was upset about his dead son. Moments like that reveal a person's true character, and while you might credit him with being one hell of a second baseman, he's an asshole and should be remembered as such.

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The fact that he later joined up with said umpire and created a foundation to seek a cure for what killed his son kinda nullifies that. People can mature over time, and I do think that Roberto did just that.

[sahyder1]

Alomar was real good with the Orioles also, but I think and I hate to say this, his claim to fame for his career will be when he spat on the umpire, that will be what everybody will remember him for, not his playing, sorry.

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[Guest Wrestling_Man]

You know, just reading what everybody has said, has made me change my mind, I don't think he'll be remembered for spitting on the umpire, if he did all of that great stuff with him, then his legacy will live as one of the best ever. Sorry if I pissed u guys off.

[SeanDMan]

You know, just reading what everybody has said, has made me change my mind, I don't think he'll be remembered for spitting on the umpire, if he did all of that great stuff with him, then his legacy will live as one of the best ever.  Sorry if I pissed u guys off.

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Vincation ahead: A Sportsnet poll taken of Canadian sports fans found that 37% would remember most the umpire spitting incident, ahead even of the self important Toronto assholes who will remember his two World Series. (24%)

[Guest Flawless Cowboy]

Vincation ahead: A Sportsnet poll taken of Canadian sports fans found that 37% would remember most the umpire spitting incident, ahead even of the self important Toronto assholes who will remember his two World Series. (24%)

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[Ananas]

You know, just reading what everybody has said, has made me change my mind, I don't think he'll be remembered for spitting on the umpire, if he did all of that great stuff with him, then his legacy will live as one of the best ever.  Sorry if I pissed u guys off.

←

Vincation ahead: A Sportsnet poll taken of Canadian sports fans found that 37% would remember most the umpire spitting incident, ahead even of the self important Toronto assholes who will remember his two World Series. (24%)

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[Miami Vice]

Top 10? Roberto Alomar is the second best second basemen of all time, only behind Joe Morgan. He was the best defensive second basemen ever and his bat was great. I only got to see him play his final season in Toronto as that was the first season I began to watch the Jays. However, I do know of his accomplishments and have enjoyed his work in Baltimore and Cleveland. If Ryne Sandberg is a Hall of Famer then Roberto Alomar is one too.

If Robby isn't a Jay when he is inducteed the HOF committee needs the be replaced!