[Willie Bee]

Hate to see his career come to an end, but oh, what a career it's been.

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

Greg Maddux is all done.

The four-time Cy Young winner will announce his retirement Monday at the baseball winter meetings in Las Vegas.

Maddux turns 43 in April. He is eighth on the career wins list with 355, and went 8-13 last season with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.

The announcement about his retirement came Friday from the office of his agent, Scott Boras.

[bigboydan]

He could have pitched 2 more years if he so chose to IMO. Hell, even at 43 years old he's better than 1/2 the other starting pitchers out there right now.

[Willie Bee]

I'd say he was about average now which speaks volumes of how great a career he's had. If you go back and look at pitchers since about 1969 when they lowered the mound and started divisional play, I don't think there's any doubt that Maddux is one of the Top 3 pitchers among those who have pitched entirely in that timeframe.

[englishmike]

Been lucky enough to see him quite a few times over the last couple of years down at Petco. He'd be worth keeping just to talk to the young players in my opinion, with a bit of run support last year he'd have been .500

[pico]

maddux is one smart pitcher. sometimes you don't have to throw that hard, all you have to do is understand the hitter.

[Doc JS]

Willie Bee,
I suspect you're with me on this...

Any writer who doesn't include Greg Maddux on his ballot when he becomes eligible of the HOF in five years should HAVE HIS VOTE TAKEN AWAY AND NEVER BE ALLOWED TO VOTE AGAIN!

These dumb-ass writers who want to make themselves the story with their "I don't think anyone should get in on the first ballot" absolutely make me sick...

Doc

[Willie Bee]

Doc, I am with you on this. Gave up on the BBWAA and the Hall of Fame years ago myself, so it doesn't really bother me when they continually show off their ignorance and their pious nature. Never understood the 1st-ballot, 2nd-ballot, 3rd-ballot, etc, nonsense. If they had a separate wing at Cooperstown to distinguish players by what ballot they were elected on, maybe I would. But they don't.

We're talking about a group that has never -- NEVER -- unanimously elected a single player. How in the hell could anyone justify NOT voting for someone like Ted Williams or Willie Mays? We're talking about a group that didn't enshrine Joe DiMaggio until his third time on the ballot.

I'd love to make plans now to be up there in 2013 to see Craig Biggio get the honor he's due. But I suspect that he will not make it until the third or even fourth ballot. The BBWAA is a joke. Don't even get me started about their hypocrisy with the whole steroids mess.

[Mudcat]

I have nothing but respect for Maddux' career. He was great to watch. He was something different. Definitely not the pitching style you expect from a guy going 21-4 and winning Cy Youngs every year, as he did in his prime.

Made me a lot of money too.

[smitch124]

It will be so nice not to see the Giants flail helplessly at everything Maddux throws up there.

A great career and classy player to boot.

[Mudcat]

He could field his position a bit too.

[Doc JS]

He could field his position a bit too.

Prolly had to add a separate trophy case just for the 18 gold gloves!!!

[Doc JS]

I'd love to make plans now to be up there in 2013 to see Craig Biggio get the honor he's due.

Helluva ball player...broke in as a catcher, moved to 2B, moved to the OF...over 3000 hits...Craig is HOF in my book!

Doc