Gil Meche announces retirement

[The Guid]

This is kind of a shocker: Royals starter Gil Meche has announced his retirement. This despite the fact that he has about $12 million left on his contract.

Of course Meche has had chronic shoulder trouble since 2009. Much of it due, one presumes, to Trey Hillman absolutely grinding him into dust. Rany Jazayerli has chronicled this, the most notorious example of which was Hillman sending Meche out for 121 pitches in a game in 2009 as Meche was suffering from dead arm and trying to overcome various ailments. Maybe Meche goes down anyway, but it was pretty inexcusable all the same.

That aside, Meche gave Kansas City their money’s worth for the first two years of the deal, putting up an ERA+ of 125 and 110, respectively, while pitching over 200 innings. In the past two seasons Meche only made 43 appearances, 32 of which were starts. He had certainly lost effectiveness and velocity. He apparently believes that it’s not coming back. Sad to see it end for Gil Meche, but it’s good to see someone comfortable enough with himself and his place in the game to where he can walk away like this.

Ask yourself, though: would you leave $12 million on the table like this? When you could simply hang around the team, sit in the dugout and collect the checks? Most of us would probably say that we couldn’t do that if we knew we couldn’t pitch anymore, but most of us would probably be lying.

Enjoy retirement, Gil.

-HBT

Sucks that he doesn't think he would regain his stuff but it is nice to see him walk away from the money rather than collect for nothing. Stupid, but nice lol

 

[Metfan4life]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Retiring-Gil-Meche-puts-a-price-tag-on-his-pride?urn=mlb-309149

He's only 32. He still has 1 year and $12 million remaining on his five-year contract.

 

[Rios15]

Just walked away from $12 Million, that takes a lot, and he's way too young.

 

[Lake Louise]

32 is too young, but it's his choice. I do hope to see him come back sometime.