Greg Maddux retiring

[King Taharqa]

Greg Maddux, who won four Cy Young Awards and 355 games, will announce his retirement Monday.

Maddux will hold a news conference at baseball's winter meetings in his hometown of Las Vegas, according to a statement from his agent, Scott Boras.

Maddux, 42, closed out his career with the Dodgers. He did not start in the playoffs and made his final appearance in the National League Championship Series, mopping up for Chad Billingsley in the game in which the Philadelphia Phillies eliminated the Dodgers.

Maddux said that day he was not offended by serving as a mop-up man.

"It was a privilege," he said. "I felt privileged to do it. I was glad I had a chance to pitch.

"It stinks that we lost. But there's a lot of good young players here, and they're only going to get better. I think this team has a chance to be good for a while."

Maddux, a nine-time All-Star while pitching for the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs, started his major-league career in 1986. His 355 victories rank eighth in major league history, one more than Roger Clemens, with Maddux earning his final win by holding the San Francisco Giants to one run over six innings on Sept. 27.

The Dodgers acquired him from the San Diego Padres in August -- the second time in three years the Dodgers traded for him to fortify their rotation in a pennant stretch -- and he was 2-4 with a 5.09 earned-run average in seven starts.

Every 300-game winner eligible for the Hall of Fame has been inducted, with Maddux, Clemens and Tom Glavine not yet eligible.

Maddux also won his 18th Gold Glove this year.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/printedition/la-sp-maddux6-2008dec06,0,6504377.story

[PowerlessDan]

:sad:

[jabbo420]

what a great pitcher. him, glavine, and smoltz were part of an unbelievable rotation for many years. they should have won more world series though.

[Scrumtrilescent]

That was due to the only flaw of the Cox/Schuerholtz philosophy...didn't stress the importance of the bullpen. Now half of me wants Smoltz and Glavine to retire this year so they can all go in together in 2014.

[Kevin Greene]

5 years from the Hall. If all pitchers were as smart as Madddox the major league batting average would be about .210.

Although I was always of the opinion that due to his control umpires gave him an 8" wider strike zone than the most.

[Davidson Deac II]

That was due to the only flaw of the Cox/Schuerholtz philosophy...didn't stress the importance of the bullpen. Now half of me wants Smoltz and Glavine to retire this year so they can all go in together in 2014.

Will Smoltz get in?

[Scrumtrilescent]

Definitely. Only pitcher in history with 200+ wins and 150+ saves. Plus 3000+ K's and the most dominant starting post-season pitcher of his era (13-4 with a 2.65 ERA). In the post season, he was the one I wanted to see on the hill of all three. And it's not even close.

[PowerlessDan]

Unbelievable at closing as well. Even when he was off they couldn't hit him with the gas he was throwing. When he came out of the bullpen with his best stuff the hitters couldn't even get wood on it. hahahaha

[faultlessjoint]

Props to Mad Dog. Not only is he the best pitcher of my lifetime, but he is one of the smartest most level headed professional athletes ever. He never let his success or fame change who he was.

Maddux vs Clemens = Right vs Wrong

[Scrumtrilescent]

And he was a helluva nose picker.

[PowerlessDan]

And he was a helluva nose picker.

Yep.

[lethalshine]

How long do you think it will take before someone trys to get him to be a pitching coach? I think he would make a great coach , that is if he can teach. I know he was always prepared and a good student of the game. Heck, I wish the Pirates would have tried to keep him from retiring, he could have still been our ace for the next few years.