Veteran reliever Arthur Rhodes told reporters, including ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter link), that he wants to pitch in 2012 and then retire. Rhodes' preference is to pitch for the Cardinals in 2012, which would be Rhodes' 21st Major League season.
Rhodes, who will turn 42 on Monday, has pitched for nine clubs in his long career and will receive his first World Series ring this fall regardless of the outcome between the Cards and Rangers. (Rhodes was released by Texas in August and then signed with St. Louis.) Given Tony La Russa's love of situational bullpen use and the fact that Marc Rzepczynski is the only other lefty in the Cardinals' bullpen, Rhodes would seem to have a decent chance of returning to St. Louis next year.
Rhodes has a 4.64 ERA in 51 appearances with the Rangers and Cardinals this year, and his ERA (4.15) and peripheral numbers have improved since his move to the National League.
East Coast Bias
…will receive his first World Series ring this fall regardless of the outcome between the Cards and Rangers.
Wait what? Someone explain this to me.
notsureifsrs
he played for the rangers and cardinals this year. generally speaking teams give rings to everyone who was a part of the team that year, even if they weren’t on it when the ring was won
cookmeister
Same thing happened to Bengie Molina last year as i recall
notsureifsrs
i am confused by the last paragraph. he appears to have been worse against lefties than righties this year, surrendering a .245/.344/.528 line (.873 OPS) according to b-r
his FIP against lefties was close to 7. just over 5 against righties
he’s still awesome because his rookie year was 1991, but he kinda looks cooked
Phadreus
First. The post incorrectly states that this OPS vs lefties was .803 when it was .873.
But just as importantly an .803 OPS against lefties is not good. I think most solid righty relievers can accomplish that.
Esteban Daviso
Exactly. “Holding” the only opponents you are tasked to face regularly to an above-league-average slash line isn’t really how I define being effective.
shysox
I always get mixed up with Arthur Rhodes and Darren Oliver. Am I a racist?
East Coast Bias
No. Just ageist.
Dan Mazzaro
Both 40+ year old, lefty, journeymen relievers…who both happen to be African-American :X
Justin J. Bartz
Are you sure about this? Please show your work in the margins.
Justin Jabs
My apologies, first time posting here.
As I said before though … I always root for old guys like Rhodes. Craig Counsell is one of my favorites (his bobblehead is sitting here on my desk).
Speaking of – is there any news on Jamie Moyer? I know he was going for a comeback in 2012…
NYPOTENCE
he’ll probably want to pitch a couple more seasons after that.
JST1331
Wouldn’t you love if people could be honest with when they will retire.
John 87
No I wouldn’t.
Dan Mazzaro
I’m ok with this. makes me feel young