SoxAce

OEO...ZEEEEEERO! (If maggs is gone)

Too bad DBAHO. I know u really wanted him here.

01/21/2004 6:43 PM ET Orosco ends long career By John Schlegel / MLB.com Jesse Orosco celebrates the Mets winning the National League pennant in 1986. (Ray Stubblebine/AP) Baseball's Best: Orosco closes greatest LCS game ever No one in Major League history has pitched more games than Jesse Orosco. On Wednesday, the venerable left-hander decided he has pitched his last. Orosco, whose 1,252 appearances are almost 200 more than second-place Dennis Eckersley (1,071) on baseball's all-time list, informed the Arizona Diamondbacks that he will not come to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee and has opted for retirement. Orosco will turn 47 on April 21 but still managed to make 65 appearances for three different teams in 2003, the last of his 24 years in the Majors. Orosco's journey Jesse Orosco pitched in 1,252 games for nine teams over 24 seasons: Team Years Games Mets 1979, 1981-87 372 Dodgers 1988, 2001-02 146 Indians 1989-91 171 Brewers 1992-94 156 Orioles 1995-99 336 Cardinals 2000 6 Padres 2003 42 Yankees 2003 15 Twins 2003 8 "To take it a quarter-century -- I never imagined that," Orosco said during a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "It's a sad day that I have to call it quits. But it's a great day, too, for the fact I fulfilled my dream." Drafted by the Twins in January 1978 and dealt to the Mets one year later, the Santa Barbara, Calif., native was a member of the Mets' 1986 World Series team, earning the save and the celebratory photo opportunity in the Game 7 victory over the Boston Red Sox. He spent the first eight of his 24 seasons in the Majors with the Mets, who traded him to the Dodgers prior to the 1988 season -- and he was a member of that year's World Series winner as well. For many, Orosco will be remembered most for his tenure with the Mets, where he emerged as one of the premier left-handed relievers in the game and gained a solid reputation with teammates and fans alike. "It was nice to see Jesse extend his career as long as he did," said former teammate Wally Backman, the third baseman on the '86 team. "It was amazing because everyone thought with Jesse's elbow he wouldn't last that long. He was always in a bucket of ice. It was always swollen. But he perfected his role from closer to middle guy and then finally to specialty guy and that extended his career quite a few years." Said Keith Hernandez, the first baseman on those Mets teams of the '80s: "He never hurt his arm. He had one of those golden arms and he was one of those lefties that could get a lefty out. Jesse could get lefties out and that's why he lasted so long. I remember him saving those games in the World Series against Boston and against Houston." In Game 6 of the '86 National League playoffs against Houston, Hernandez and Orosco shared a moment both men enjoy remembering to this day. Billy Hatcher had tied the game earlier in extra innings off Orosco with a homer. After the Mets scored three in the top of the 16th, Orosco had allowed two runs in the bottom half, and Kevin Bass hit a long ball foul that just missed being a game-winning homer on a fastball. Hernandez went out to the mound and pretty much told Orosco to stop throwing fastballs, to give Bass a slider so everybody could go home. "It was just a little light humor to get him to calm down," Hernandez recalled Wednesday. "He was tired and it was a long game. It was really loud in the [Astrodome] and that was just some comic relief to get everyone centered. It was like, 'Just take a deep breath and strike out Kevin Bass.'" And that's how the game ended, with a strikeout by Orosco of Bass, sending the Mets to the World Series. In all, Orosco played for nine teams in his tenure, starting 2003 with the Padres before being traded to the Yankees and then to the Twins for the final month of the season. He did not pitch in the Twins' American League Division Series loss to the Yankees, ending his career with a Sept. 27 appearance against Detroit in which he suffered the loss in unique fashion -- striking out Warren Morris but allowing the winning run to score on a wild pitch. An All-Star in 1983 and '84, Orosco finishes his career with an 87-80 record and 144 saves, which ranks 58th on the all-time list and was 17th among active pitchers. His 3.16 lifetime ERA ranked fifth among active players before his retirement. "Jesse has had one of the great careers in our game and we respect his decision of ending it before officially taking the field as a member of the Diamondbacks," said Joe Garagiola Jr., Diamondbacks senior vice president and general manager. "It's a shame that our young pitchers will not have the opportunity to learn from a true baseball professional, but he's made a decision and we wish nothing but the best for Jesse and his family in the future." The ageless wonder finally hangs them up. He was still pitching before some of us was even born! Good guy to have around a clubhouse and in the game of baseball. We'll miss him..

Congrats on that post # 8000 cw And hopefully by tom. (or should I say today) we'll see the new and improved banner

At least everyone agreed on Reed at 1 here's my list: Prediction for BA 1. Jeremy Reed 2. Neal Cotts 3. Joe Borchard 4. Kris Honel 5. Brian Anderson 6. Jon Rauch 7. Felix Diaz 8. Ryan Wing 9. Arnie Munoz 10. Ryan Sweeney 11. Robert Valido (bonus #) My list (just for fun) 1.Reed 2.Honel 3.Cotts 4.Anderson 5.Wing 6.Sweeney 7.Valido 8.Munoz 9.Fabio Castro 10.McCarthy Notables: Young, Nanita, Pacheco, McCarthy, F. Castro, Meaux, Yan, Schnurstein, Lopez, etc..

It's probably the best offseason move we've done. I'll take it

O god! Can you imagine him crying everytime he gets a save in a game? MERCY!

He said "Trade Rumor" not sign FA rumor lol.

Yea I saw that same thing. Talks have broken off and he's staying with the Cowboys. OAK, still Coachless.

That remines me alot of someone who carries those same traits. Hopefully he won't be to much like him as far as showing TOO much emotion (Carlos Zambrano)

Here is the most important part of the article I believe.. By trading Randy Winn, the Mariners would have a spot for Beltran. By trading Winn's $3.5 million salary as well, the Mariners would, for this season, take on only $5.5 million in payroll. The questions for the Mariners about Beltran are two: Are they willing to give up the prospects Kansas City might want, and can Seattle sign him beyond this year? The team ought to have confidence it can sign Beltran. It is one of the top revenue-producing teams in baseball and ought to act like it. The Royals might not choose to trade Beltran, even though they are resigned to losing him after this season. The Mariners might not be willing to give up Soriano or minor-league pitchers Clint Nageotte and Travis Blackley. Therefore, the best opportunity to use the Sasaki money could be in taking on the $14 million contract of Chicago White Sox outfielder Magglio Ordonez The White Sox need to cut payroll and apparently are hanging their hat on Carlos Lee, a 27-year-old outfielder who hit 31 home runs last year and recently got a two-year deal worth $15 million. Ordonez, a .307 lifetime hitter who hit 29 home runs last season, is an excellent outfielder who plays right well enough that Ichiro could easily hold down center. Ordonez wields a big bat the Mariners have been missing. The finances work out well, the White Sox saving $10.5 million by taking on Winn's salary, the Mariners making up most of the difference with Sasaki's salary. None of the scenarios is perfect. But the Mariners need to make something happen. They can't waste a windfall.

Naw we could make one here on the southside. The Pack (Wolf Pack) and The Crew (Crede's Crew) will be one hellova combo.

YES!!! THE BIG SIGNING!!! This guy sounds like he can take over as closer. I'm actually surprised we signed someone like that so cheap. Way to go KW. I just hope the guy can communicate and make some friends out of the clubhouse, hell even teach our sox players a bit of japanese or two

Well this is the cubs They have been known to offer some horrible contracts (ex Hundley, Sosa, Alou etc..)

I believe that was posted already. But Rowand will finally get his chance. I'm excited about that. Hopefully he will step it up and have a good season.

God I hate sosa. he's such a selfish human being. I remember his comment he wants to hit 700 hrs. and be a baseball god. Pathetic.. :sosasucks

I was going to say the same thing JoshPR. 9 million is just about right for Beltran. He's a switch hitter, plays great D, potential 40/40 man, hits .300 draws some walks, 100 Runs 100 RBI man. Come on. And just like josh stated, I'd rather take this stud then spend 14 mil. a year on maggs who basically puts up the same #'s, if not less.

Yea I cant get it eigher

Damn the cell is a beautiful park. I'd rate it up thereas one of the top 10 prettiest fields around. Those pics make it seem were adding alittle more "decoration." Put that field next to the other s***ty fields out there, the other fields could be used as a public bathroom. (ex:scrubs)

Definitely Reed at 1. I don't know about Borchard at 2. Is he still considered a prospect? Honel and probably Cotts should be high on that list as well.

OUCH!

I understand what you mean. Too much hype can put a TON of pressure on a kid who is just comming on his own/zone. (by the way I love on emphasis on farting ) I don't think reed is 2 years away. I think just this year (if that) but we will definitely see him in 05.

That statement reminded me of something, I remember the last game when da bears were at KC, Rex Grossman injured his thumb or hand or something like that. It was found out that a ligament (or two) was torn. And they said the physician would find out if he needed surgery. Did rex get surgery on that hand (or thumb) or is he healing it naturally?

Hey, if it's concerning Reed, whether injury, big hit, etc.. I'll always remember

Thats true, and I've even seen Gammons luck out on some trades that DID happen. But they probably found out 100% from a source telling them it was already done or something.