According to multiple reports on Friday afternoon, Greg Maddux will announce his retirement from the game on Monday after 23 big league seasons. The future first-ballot Hall of Famer will make his retirement official on the first day of the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas.
Greg Maddux was drafted in the second round (31st overall) by the Cubs in 1984 and made his debut on September 3, 1986. Maddux wore four different uniforms in his career....the Cubs and Dodgers twice, the Braves and the Padres. Maddux won four consecutive Cy Young Awards from 1992-1995, the first coming as a member of the Cubs. His 355 career wins is 8th on the All-Time list.
Greg Maddux is the greatest pitcher of his generation and will finish with a career line of 355-227 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP....3371 career strikeouts and only 999 walks allowed in 5008 1/3 innings (744 games, 740 career starts). Maddux was an 8-time All-Star, earned a record 18 Gold Gloves and his streak of 20 consecutive seasons with at least 13 wins came to an end in 2008.
For those that did not see Maddux in his prime, he was the best and him leaving Chicago the first time still makes many think of...what if?
Greg Maddux is a true student of the game and will be sorely missed. The game will lose one of the Greatest of All-Time when Maddux officially hangs up his spikes on Monday.
Thanks Mad Dog for the memories....
- The Ole Professor (With Photos of Maddux from his last game at Wrigley as a Cub) - August 1, 2006
- A Tip of the Hat (The last game for Greg Maddux in a Cubs' uniform) - July 29, 2006
I know there are writers that don't vote for guys on the first ballot out of principle, but he SHOULD be a unanimous choice even though he won't be.
...but any writer that doesn't put him on their ballot should have his voting rights revoked :-)
Also - always though it was comical that a guy that looked like he should be teaching a junior high science class had the nickname of Mad Dog
Not only was Mad Dog one of the best pitchers EVER....he exmplified everything a player and a man should be.
He absolutely should be a unanimous first ballot hall of famer. I've never been to Cooperstown, but I think I will start putting money away for the next few years and make the trip when Maddux is inducted....
Sad to say, but he won't be unanimous. Nolan Ryan got 98.2%, 6 votes short of unanimous. Makes you wonder what some writers are thinking.
You know...I was reflecting on Maddux and looking at some stats......
He went 17 straight years with at least 15 wins!
He had 2 20 win seasons.....but also had 5 19 win seasons and 2 18 win seasons!
From 1992 (last year with the Cubs)through 1998 he was absolutely dominant. His ERA for those years:
1992 = 2.18
1993 = 2.36
1994 = 1.56
1995 = 1.63
1996 = 2.72
1997 = 2.20
1998 = 2.22
He not only could THROW the ball....he was one of the best if not the best fielders of his position all time. From 1990-until last season he won the Gold Glove EVERY season except 2003 when Mike Hampton won.
He's such an athlete, he actually finished with 11 career stolen bases!
His control was a thing of beauty after his first few years. He is one of only two pitchers to finish their career with over 3,000 strike outs and less than 1,000 walks. The only other is Fergie Jenkins! A few of the insane seasons where hardly anyone walked were:
1994 202 INGS 31 BB 156 K 4 HR
1995 209 INGS 23 BB 181 K 8 HR
1996 245 INGS 28 BB 172 K 11 HR
1997 232 INGS 20 BB 177 K 9 HR
Anyone remember his Cubs debut?
It was against the Houston Astros on September 2, 1986. (A game incidentally that Jamie Moyer started)
The Cubs were trailing 4-3 and tied it with a sac fly in the bottom on the 9th. Houston went on to take a 7-4 lead in the 17th off Dave Gumpert. In the bottom of the 17th Dernier and Sandberg reached and Good ol "Zonk" Keith Moreland tied the game with a 3 run homerun. After a Manny Trillo out, Jody Davis reached on a single and was replaced by PINCH RUNNER GREG MADDUX making his major league debut. The Cubs couldnt score and we moved to the 18th with Maddux taking the hill for the first time.
The result wasn't good as Greg gave up a 1-out solo home run to Billy Hatcher in the top of the 18th to suffer the loss.
One final Maddux note....he was drafted in the second round of the 1984 draft. The Cubs had the third overall pick in the first round and drafted.....DREW HALL. Not only did they (and everyone else) let Maddux slide to the second round...they (and 8 other teams) also passed on a very big name in the first round. The number 10 pick overall went to the Oakland A's.....Mark McGwire.
For the record Drew Hall went on to go 9-12 with 5 saves with a 5.21 ERA over 5 seasons.
maaaan! How could Jim Hendry draft Drew before Maddux? Can he do anything right??
I know....just got back from a party and I hung out with Walker....Jhonny!
Sorry to break it to you Hendry-bashers out there, but Hendry was not the GM in '84...Senility prevents me from recalling who was.
As for Maddux, what a class guy, and a first-ballot Hall of Famer for sure.
In 1984......it was none other than Dalls Green.......
Uhm Larry I know... it was a joke. Sarcasm lol! To all who value Maddux this is not new but worht the read. Thanks Maddux!
http://m.espn.go.com/wireless/story?storyId=3749958&top&y=17w3w
He accomplished all of this while playing in the steroids era which makes his achievements all the more amazing. Hands down the greatest pitcher of his generation.
It still burns me the way he was treated by Larry Himes. As I understand the story, Himes had a $25 million 5 year offer out to Maddux with a deadline. Maddux' agent called shortly after the expiration of the deadline and said Maddux would take the deal. Himes apparent said "what deal?" ... since the offer had expired and then said he gave Maddux' "money" to Jose Guzman. I could be wrong but that is how I recall things went down. Anyone else have a different version?