Sinn Fein
01-21-2004, 08:05 PM
I saw him pitch once in-person when he was with Baltimore. He has a heck of a career.
Orosco, all-time leader in games pitched, announces retirement (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=oroscoretirement&prov=st&type=lgns)
January 21, 2004
PHOENIX (Ticker) - Jesse Orosco, who last season had six teammates born after he defeated Hall of Famer Steve Carlton for his first career win, announced his retirement Wednesday.
The all-time leader in games pitched, Orosco signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks in November but decided to hang up his spikes less than a month before pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
Orosco, who turns 47 in April, ends his career with 1,252 games pitched and 1,248 relief appearances - both major league records. He also played in an All-Star Game, won a World Series title and made 24 postseason appearances.
"Jesse had one of the great careers in our game and we respect his decision of ending it before officially taking the field as a member of the Diamondbacks," said Arizona's general manager, Joe Garagiola Jr.
Garagiola also said it was a shame the Diamondbacks' young pitchers will not have the chance to learn from "a true baseball professional."
Orosco had been a professional since he was taken in the second round of the 1978 draft by the Minnesota Twins. More than a quarter-century later, he had amassed 1,295 innings and 1,179 strikeouts for nine different teams.
As a member of the New York Mets, the sidearming lefthander defeated Carlton on April 2, 1979 for his first career victory. In 2003, he had six teammates born in 1980 or later.
Orosco retires with an 87-80 record, 144 saves and a 3.16 ERA. He used his rubber arm until the very last day, making 65 appearances for three teams last season.
The Californian once was one of the best relievers in the game. In 1983, he went 13-7 with 17 saves and a 1.47 ERA in 62 appearances for the Mets and struck out the only batter he faced in the All-Star Game at Comiskey Park.
Three years later, Orosco helped the Mets to their second World Series title. He posted three of New York's four wins against the Houston Astros in the NL Championship Series, including the clincher - a classic extra-inning Game Six triumph at the Astrodome.
Orosco also struck out Marty Barrett to end Game Seven of the World Series and fired his glove to the sky as the Mets completed a remarkable rally to defeat the Boston Red Sox.
In December 1978, the Mets acquired Orosco from the Twins in a deal for Jerry Koosman. He spent his first eight seasons with the Mets before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers and helped the Dodgers win the 1988 World Series.
Orosco also pitched for Cleveland, Milwaukee, Baltimore, St. Louis, San Diego, the New York Yankees and Minnesota.
Orosco, Tim Raines, Rickey Henderson and Mike Morgan were the only players to debut in the 1970s and last through the end of the century.
Orosco, all-time leader in games pitched, announces retirement (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=oroscoretirement&prov=st&type=lgns)
January 21, 2004
PHOENIX (Ticker) - Jesse Orosco, who last season had six teammates born after he defeated Hall of Famer Steve Carlton for his first career win, announced his retirement Wednesday.
The all-time leader in games pitched, Orosco signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks in November but decided to hang up his spikes less than a month before pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
Orosco, who turns 47 in April, ends his career with 1,252 games pitched and 1,248 relief appearances - both major league records. He also played in an All-Star Game, won a World Series title and made 24 postseason appearances.
"Jesse had one of the great careers in our game and we respect his decision of ending it before officially taking the field as a member of the Diamondbacks," said Arizona's general manager, Joe Garagiola Jr.
Garagiola also said it was a shame the Diamondbacks' young pitchers will not have the chance to learn from "a true baseball professional."
Orosco had been a professional since he was taken in the second round of the 1978 draft by the Minnesota Twins. More than a quarter-century later, he had amassed 1,295 innings and 1,179 strikeouts for nine different teams.
As a member of the New York Mets, the sidearming lefthander defeated Carlton on April 2, 1979 for his first career victory. In 2003, he had six teammates born in 1980 or later.
Orosco retires with an 87-80 record, 144 saves and a 3.16 ERA. He used his rubber arm until the very last day, making 65 appearances for three teams last season.
The Californian once was one of the best relievers in the game. In 1983, he went 13-7 with 17 saves and a 1.47 ERA in 62 appearances for the Mets and struck out the only batter he faced in the All-Star Game at Comiskey Park.
Three years later, Orosco helped the Mets to their second World Series title. He posted three of New York's four wins against the Houston Astros in the NL Championship Series, including the clincher - a classic extra-inning Game Six triumph at the Astrodome.
Orosco also struck out Marty Barrett to end Game Seven of the World Series and fired his glove to the sky as the Mets completed a remarkable rally to defeat the Boston Red Sox.
In December 1978, the Mets acquired Orosco from the Twins in a deal for Jerry Koosman. He spent his first eight seasons with the Mets before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers and helped the Dodgers win the 1988 World Series.
Orosco also pitched for Cleveland, Milwaukee, Baltimore, St. Louis, San Diego, the New York Yankees and Minnesota.
Orosco, Tim Raines, Rickey Henderson and Mike Morgan were the only players to debut in the 1970s and last through the end of the century.