Roberto Alomar calls it quits after 17 seasons

Latino Legends in Sports News.

Roberto Alomar calls it quits after 17 seasons

March 20, 2005 -- 12-time All-Star, Roberto Alomar called it quits yesterday after 17 seasons in the major leagues.

A 10-time Gold Glove winner and career .300 hitter, Alomar was an All-Star for 12 consecutive seasons from 1990 to 2001, and finished 276 hits shy of 3,000. He led the Toronto Blue Jays to consecutive World Series titles in 1992-93 and is considered by many a Hall of Fame candidate.

"I played a lot of games and I said I would never embarrass myself on the field," Alomar said. "I had a long career, but I can't play at the level I want to play, so it's time to retire. I just can't go anymore. My back, legs and eyes aren't the same."

Alomar's announcement came one day after he committed two errors in one inning of a spring-training game with the Devil Rays, who signed him to a $600,000, one-year contract in January.

A switch-hitting middle infielder, Alomar also played for San Diego, Cleveland, the New York Mets, Arizona, and the Chicago White Sox. In his prime, he was one of the best all-around players in the game, blessed with speed, smarts and extra-base power.

Four years ago, Alomar hit .336 with 34 doubles, 12 triples, 20 home runs, 100 RBI and 30 stolen bases for the Cleveland Indians. No other infielder in baseball history had put up those kinds of numbers in a single season.

Then his career faded fast.

He struggled with the New York Mets in 2002 and never recovered. He played for the Mets and Chicago White Sox in 2003. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and White Sox last season before he joined the Tampa Bay Devil Rays this spring.

Alomar, 37, finished his career with 2,724 hits, 210 home runs, 1,134 RBIs, 474 stolen bases and a .300 average.

"My life is baseball. It's been great," Almoar said. "I was like a little kid. I got to go to the ballpark everyday. I encourage any player who loses that enthusiasm to go home."