Maddux is retiring

[rthomas]

To me, this is the end of an era. 355-227 with a 3.16 ERA, 18 golden gloves. Lots of pitchers out there but to me he is the best. Cheers to him and his career.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3748249

It's a sad day. I feel old.

[RainingThrees]

Favorite brave behind Chipper.

[YmoBeThere]

I'm just glad he passed Roger Clemens in wins before calling it a career.

[riverside6]

My all-time favorite pitcher. Baseball will not be the same without Maddux's impeccable pitching on the mound and his wit and guile off the field.

One great Maddux story...



Maddux had been pitching poorly and been told by management that if he did not get a win he would be sent to the minors. The Cubs staked him to a large lead by the 3rd inning when Dawson, who had hit three home runs in two days against the Padres, including one in the first inning came to bat. Padres pitcher Eric Show hit him hard in the face, Dawson went down bleeding and a near riot ensued but amazingly no punches were thrown. As the game was not yet official, Sutcliffe and other Cubs told Maddux to wait until the 6th inning to retaliate so he would record a win and not be sent down but Maddux refused and told Sutcliffe he didn't care if he never pitched in the majors again, you had to protect your teammate, so he smoked Santiago in the 4th (Santiago was the 3rd batter up that inning and Maddux had struck out the first two. I think he somehow held Santiago more responsible for the beaning than other position players).

According to Sutcliffe, Dawson, who had to rest his chronically injured knees by taking some games off in his MVP season, never missed playing in a Maddux start that rest of that season. Contrary to part of this legend Maddux was not sent down to Iowa till over a month later after he continued to struggle. In four starts in Iowa, Maddux went 3-0 with an ERA of 0.98 and two complete games.

That quote was taken from a wonderful review of his career (http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/story/2007/2/1/92435/72323).

[dkbaseball]

The master. There's never been anybody quite like him.