Author Topic: Carlos Delgado retires from baseball  (Read 150 times)

MistaNova

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Carlos Delgado retires from baseball
« on: April 14, 2011, 05:48:25 AM »


Veteran slugger Carlos Delgado announced his retirement on Wednesday in San Juan, Puerto Rico, saying he was unable to work his way back to the majors after years of being hampered by injuries.

Delgado, widely regarded as one of baseball's most productive hitters in his prime, retired with 473 career home runs and ownership of several Toronto Blue Jays all-time offensive records.

"I always said I would try to return until my body had enough. And my body could take no more," the 38-year-old Delgado said Wednesday. "I've been training two years and recently tried yet again to increase the routine of work, but the swing was not there to compete at the level I want," he added.

"There comes a moment when you have to have the dignity and the sense to recognize that something is not functioning," he said. "You can't swim against the current."

In the 17 seasons he played as an outfielder, first baseman and designated hitter with the Blue Jays, Florida Marlins and New York Mets, Delgado hit 30-plus home runs 11 times and cracked the 40-homer plateau three times. He was an All-Star in 2000 and 2003.

Delgado signed with the Blue Jays as an amateur free agent in 1988 and spent parts of 11 seasons in Toronto. He played one season in Florida before joining the Mets in 2006. He led New York to the playoffs that season -- its most recent postseason appearance -- with 38 home runs and 114 RBIs.

In the 2006 playoffs, Delgado batted .351 (13 for 37) with four home runs and 11 RBIs as the Mets came within a game of reaching the World Series.

Delgado struggled with hip injures his last few seasons, limiting his ability to play. His last major league appearance came as a Met in 2009, as his attempt to catch on with the Boston Red Sox last season ended after five games at Triple-A Pawtucket.

The full story here: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6343791