A Great One Retires

The baseball landscape has changed a little bit today.  Mike Mussina has decided to retire.  Mussina has been one of the best pitchers of this generation and is one of my all-time favorite players.  He has always gone out of his way for his fans, signing autographs sent to him through the mail, both at home and in care of the Yankees.  He always went above and beyond the call of duty for his fans.  

Moose will walk away from a career which was famous for his never having won 20 games, until he accomplished this feat this past season.  Now, Mussina should be famous for being a future Hall of Famer.  With a career record of 270-153 and a 3.68 ERA his numbers justify the Hall of Fame.  He has won 18 game or more 6 times.  He won 10 game or more 17 years in a row.  Mussina deserves the Hall of Fame.  The Hall of Fame needs Mussina.  Guys like him do not come around very often, sadly.  

The New York Yankees will not be the same without Mussina who joined the team in 2001 and has been an ace for them ever since.  Baseball will not be the same without Mussina who truly made an art of pitching.  There was something remarkable about watching him pitch his way into history this season.  I was lucky enough to see him pitch twice this season and several times during his career.  I will miss Mike Mussina.  Perhaps I will travel up to Cooperstown when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame.  Hopefully.