Headlines

  • Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.
  • Braves Designate Craig Kimbrel For Assignment
  • Corbin Burnes To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
  • Braves Select Craig Kimbrel
  • Jerry Reinsdorf, Justin Ishbia Reach Agreement For Ishbia To Obtain Future Majority Stake In White Sox
  • White Sox To Promote Kyle Teel
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2025
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Mike Hampton Retires

By Mike Axisa | March 26, 2011 at 11:00am CDT

Veteran left-hander Mike Hampton has informed the Diamondbacks that he has decided to retire, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com. He originally told GM Kevin Towers and manager Kirk Gibson that he was leaning that way on Thursday.

"It just wasn't there," said Hampton. "In fairness to [The Diamondbacks] and fairness to myself I'm just done. It's not a decision that's easy to make. It's not one you make overnight. It had been two weeks that different thoughts have been creeping in my head. Then all of the sudden I felt, I think this is going to be it." 

Hampton, 38, made a brief comeback with Arizona late last season, throwing 4 1/3 innings across ten appearances. He was in camp with them this year after signing a minor league deal in December. 

Although the latter half of his career was filled with injury and ineffectiveness, Hampton was one of the game's best starters in the late-1990's, pitching to a 3.35 ERA in 184 starts with the Astros and Mets from 1995 through 2000. He pitched poorly for two years with the Rockies after signing an eight-year, $123.8MM contract that was then the largest deal in baseball history. Hampton finished his career out with the Braves, Astros, and D'Backs, and owns a 4.09 ERA in 2268 1/3 career innings.

Share 1 Retweet 77 Send via email0

Uncategorized Mike Hampton

AL Central Notes: Indians, Gonzalez, Tigers
Main
Mariners Release Gabe Gross
View Comments (42)
Post a Comment

42 Comments

  1. start_wearing_purple

    14 years ago

    Rockies and Braves fans everywhere are rejoicing.

    Reply
    • Jeff 31

      14 years ago

      Nah, I think Braves fans are ok with it- as the Braves were spending other team’s money for much of that contract, and he had a good year or two here.

      Also, you can’t blame a guy for getting hurt really. It’s not like he was a knucklehead.

      Reply
  2. Daniel Stark

    14 years ago

    I thought he retired on December 9th, 2000.

    Reply
  3. czontixhldr

    14 years ago

    WOW, I just did the math: Hampton was paid….are you sitting down…. over $50,000/IP for his career.

    Reply
    • BobbyJohn

      14 years ago

      I did the math once as well: Hampton was paid about as much for one start as I was for my entire 12 1/2 year career in the Navy (1988-2000).

      Reply
  4. czontixhldr

    14 years ago

    $54,908.36/IP to be exact.

    Reply
    • LifeLongYankeeFan

      14 years ago

      showoff lol.

      Reply
  5. rfffr

    14 years ago

    He probably wasn’t gonna make the team especially since Saunders seems destined for the bullpen.

    Reply
  6. BlondnEvil

    14 years ago

    Now he has more time to enjoy that tremendous Colorado School System…

    Reply
  7. Justin Huey

    14 years ago

    Wait, I thought he retired 6 years ago.

    Reply
  8. Justin Huey

    14 years ago

    HOF?

    Reply
    • MB923

      14 years ago

      HOS

      (S = Shame)

      Reply
  9. GATORSTUDLEY

    14 years ago

    ALL U HATERS DONT KNOW THE CHARACTER THAT MIKE HAS!!!! WHEN HE WAS HEALTHY HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN BASEBALL IF U HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT MIKE HAS ACCOMPILISHED JUST LOOK UP HIS STATS! IF U ASK ANYONE WHO HAS PLAYED WITH HIM HE LOVED THE GAME AS MUCH AS ANY PLAYER EVER HAS! MIKE ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT U DESERVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
    • $1519287

      14 years ago

      Please stop using all caps.

      Your point is a good one since it can be amusing how people can put down a stranger for no reason really, but the caps is unreadable.People also like reading paragraphs.Thanks

      Reply
    • jill

      14 years ago

      I’m with the moderator-you have a valid point, but trying to read it makes my eyes bleed.

      Hampton never played for either of the teams I root for so I admittedly have a different perspective. He was a very good pitcher who got a very big long term contact and never really earned the money. But the reason he didn’t was injury! Are people implying that he got injured on purpose? That he didn’t work on his re hab? Neither of those things are true. He became injury prone, no doubt from the toll pitching takes on ones body. As far as rehab goes-he worked like a dog to get back from his many injuries for YEARS. You know, it happens. Some players finally return, and some players just can’t overcome it. Hampton did everything he could and always believed he was going to make it back.

      It would have been nice if he were Gil Meche, knew he couldn’t go on, and opted out leaving money on the table. Why would Hampton do that when he hadn’t yet given up on himself?

      I think I agree with you though.

      Reply
    • JacksTigers

      14 years ago

      I guess everyones been drinking the hater-ade.

      Reply
    • czontixhldr

      14 years ago

      Who’s hatin’? I simply pointed out how much he made based per IP. Personally, I think he deserves credit for being smart enough to get an agent that could get him that contract, and being good enough while healthy to convince someone to give it to him.

      Clubs know what the risk is when they negotiate those contracts. If they’re silly enough to go 7-8 years with a pitcher then that’s the risk they’ve chosen to take, and I don’t fault the player at all for taking the money. I would.

      That still doesn’t mean he was able to provide fair value for the money he was paid – whatever the reason.

      Reply
  10. Robby R.

    14 years ago

    Welcome to the team Micah Owings!

    Reply
    • CaseyBlakeDeWitt

      14 years ago

      Was it a battle for pitchers who can do better off the bench than out of the bullpen?

      Reply
  11. HerbertAnchovy

    14 years ago

    I think after this year there should be a 2011 retiree section on here.

    Reply
    • Infield Fly

      14 years ago

      Yeah, and what with all the “encouragement” out there, hey, maybe even the likes of Jason Schmidt might see fit to acknowledge that he’s done too. Finally.

      Then again, I probably shouldn’t hold my breath!

      Reply
  12. NYBravosFan10

    14 years ago

    He’s headed to the disabled list HOF

    Reply
  13. vonhayesdays

    14 years ago

    not even juan gonzalez thinks mike hampton signed a good deal

    Reply
  14. MatzMatics

    14 years ago

    As a Met fan, I gotta say thank you Mike for pitching that 3 hit, CG shutout in Game 5 of the 2000 NLCS against the Cards. At the same time, I gotta say thank you for skipping town because you “didn’t like our school system” (At the time, the biggest bunch of B.S. I’ve ever heard in my life). It’s all good, because in the end, we got David Wright. While he was producing for us, you were wasting Colorado & Atlanta’s time.

    So again…thank you.

    Reply
  15. RiverKKiller999

    14 years ago

    More like the HOB. (Hall Of Bums)

    Reply
    • Frank Thomas

      14 years ago

      Based on what? That he was injured? I truly hope that it never happens to you that you get injured in some fashion and then have everyone around you pepper you with insults. A lot of people commenting here need to grow up. Mike Hampton had a great career when he was healthy. Maybe next you can go make fun of the special olympians or a disabled war veteran.

      Reply
      • RiverKKiller999

        14 years ago

        At least some one will miss Mike Hampton…

        Reply
      • paul_oneills_lovechild

        14 years ago

        Random comment for the day…I always enjoy when people use condiments (ala pepper) in other ways to express things than with food. It just adds flavor to their discourse. Am I right here, fellas?? I am hungry though…

        Reply
  16. coolstorybro222

    14 years ago

    He holds a record. the only pitcher ever to hurt himself on the first warm up pitch in the bullpen.

    Reply
  17. Tko11

    14 years ago

    He was a great hitter.

    Reply
    • coolstorybro222

      14 years ago

      should’ve pulled a Ankiel on him

      Reply
  18. JacksTigers

    14 years ago

    And another one goes. And another one goes. Another one bites the dust.

    Reply
  19. James DeMott

    14 years ago

    Finally. Only took four-hundred-and-eighty-seven trips to the DL for him to retire.

    Oh well.

    Reply
  20. Alex Grady

    14 years ago

    In related news, Mike Hampton was still in baseball up until today.

    Reply
  21. Chris H

    14 years ago

    I thought Hampton retired a few years ago.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.

    Braves Designate Craig Kimbrel For Assignment

    Corbin Burnes To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Braves Select Craig Kimbrel

    Jerry Reinsdorf, Justin Ishbia Reach Agreement For Ishbia To Obtain Future Majority Stake In White Sox

    White Sox To Promote Kyle Teel

    Sign Up For Trade Rumors Front Office Now And Lock In Savings!

    Pablo Lopez To Miss Multiple Months With Teres Major Strain

    MLB To Propose Automatic Ball-Strike Challenge System For 2026

    Giants Designate LaMonte Wade Jr., Sign Dominic Smith

    Reds Sign Wade Miley, Place Hunter Greene On Injured List

    Padres Interested In Jarren Duran

    Royals Promote Jac Caglianone

    Mariners Promote Cole Young, Activate Bryce Miller

    2025-26 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings: May Edition

    Evan Phillips To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    AJ Smith-Shawver Diagnosed With Torn UCL

    Reds Trade Alexis Díaz To Dodgers

    Rockies Sign Orlando Arcia

    Ronel Blanco To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Recent

    Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.

    Blue Jays Notes: Scherzer, Varsho, Francis

    Pirates Reportedly Receiving Interest In Isiah Kiner-Falefa

    Angels Sign Ben Gamel To Minor League Deal

    Blue Jays Recall Spencer Turnbull For Season Debut

    Orioles Notes: Westburg, Mullins, O’Neill

    Tigers Notes: Vierling, Olson, Urquidy, Boyd

    Twins Place Zebby Matthews On 15-Day IL, Reinstate Danny Coulombe

    Yankees Claim CJ Alexander

    Phillies Claim Ryan Cusick, Designate Kyle Tyler

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Nolan Arenado Rumors
    • Dylan Cease Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Marcus Stroman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2024-25 Offseason Outlook Series
    • 2025 Arbitration Projections
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version