Reliever Andrew Bailey announced today (via Instagram) that he is hanging up his spikes in favor of a non-playing position with the Angels. Bailey will become the organization’s instant replay coordinator and coaching assistant, per Pedro Moura of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The 33-year-old Bailey ends his career with a 3.12 lifetime ERA over eight MLB campaigns. Of course, that hardly tells the tale of his winding journey through professional baseball.
A sixth-round pick from Wagner College, Bailey spent three years in the minors as a starter before debuting in the Athletics’ pen in 2009. He turned in an eye-opening campaign, racking up 83 1/3 innings of 1.84 ERA ball with 9.8 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, and just 5.3 hits per nine.
Bailey took hold of the A’s closing job that year and ended up with 75 saves over three years in Oakland. His final season there was his worst, but he managed to rebound from a forearm strain to throw 41 2/3 innings with a 3.24 earned run average.
That platform set the stage for a swap that sent Bailey to the Red Sox in exchange for Josh Reddick and others. (That trade had quite the butterfly effect, as MLBTR’s Steve Adams observed the following winter.) At the time, it seemed that Bailey would step into the closer’s role that had just been vacated by Jonathan Papelbon.
Things went south quickly in Boston, as Bailey opened the season on the DL due to a thumb injury and was tagged for a dozen earned runs in 15 1/3 frames upon his return. Though he bounced back to spin 28 2/3 frames of 3.77 ERA ball with 12.2 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 2013, Bailey’s season was cut short by a significant shoulder injury that required surgery. He was non-tendered in advance of the 2014 campaign.
After enduring an obstacle-ridden rehab process, Bailey finally returned to the majors in September of 2015 with the Yankees. He made it unscathed through a 33-appearance opportunity with the Phillies in 2016, but limped to a 6.40 ERA and was released.
Bailey ended up catching on with the Angels at the tail end of the 2016 and turned in what was to be something of a last hurrah. Despite showing greatly diminished velocity, he saved six more games in a dozen appearances, earning a $1MM guarantee to return to Los Angeles for the 2017 season. Unfortunately, ongoing shoulder maladies kept Bailey to throwing four scoreless frames in the majors for the season.
Though Bailey did not have the kind of overall career that his first few seasons promised, he certainly had plenty of good moments and battled through quite a lot of injury-related adversity. (Among the many people he thanked in his message were “the countless athletic trainers, PT’s, strength coaches, surgeons and therapists.”) MLBTR wishes him the best of luck in his new pursuit within the game of baseball.
Yankees should sign Jake Arrieta to a 100 year 200 million dollar contract. That way it only adds 2 million dollars towards the luxury tax cap. Do it now Cashman!!
But what’s that got to do with this article?
Dumbest comment of the day and it’s only 10:30am
He was exciting to watch in Oakland. I hope he heals up enough to be comfortable day to day.
“Instant replay coordinator and coaching assistant”? Ouch… sounds like a glorified intern. Oh well, he made a shade over ten million dollars during his career, so he should be alright.
Sure he “made” a “shade over ten million” but how much of that went to taxes, his agent, etc etc etc? So after everything he probably like $3M over 15 years (age 18-33). Guessing he owns a house? Yeah, he still needs a job.
Having a million dollars doesn’t mean you get to retire. Why do people think this???
Lol you need a financial advisor.
I could retire comfortably on a million dollars, and I live in SoCal.
I respectfully disagree JTO; I know he ended up with a portion of that $10M dollars. Let’s pretend MOST of it is gone and that “only” $3M remained; I would hope with a solid financial plan and conservative investments that he has more than that, but we’ll pretend.
I don’t make that much myself and I know several people that survive on, let’s say $40K per year (many even less). So if he only had $3M left, that means he could survive for ~75 years if he lived a “$40,000 lifestyle”, which most people can (and do).
Yes, we can get technical and talk about inflation and the price of goods and services increasing, but $3M is still 75x more than $40K.
PLEASE NOTE… this is not an anti-player salary rant or me crying about how athletes are overpaid. I’d much rather have the PLAYERS get the money instead of the billionaire OWNERS.
All I am saying is that if somebody “only” had $3M that if they lived a modest lifestyle, they most definitely could SURVIVE (and even thrive) on that.
Like sufferfortribe said above, I’m 36 and could live (and enjoy) the rest of my life on even $1M.
exactly, plus, if he owns the house he isn’t making payments.
a lot, dare i say most. people do not make 3 million in a lifetime..
Very good comment however if when you play little league and dream of winning the rookie of the year and being a two time all star and accomplish those things against all odds (TJ and fourth year senior) it must be tough to swallow the fact that you only walked away with 3 million and A Rod has made who knows how much and keeps getting thrown money his way to represent the game. Not to mention get to see Michael Vick doing tv. I believe in second chances but at what point do we give them to better people.
True that!!
$40,000 lifestyle? Lmfao
Aka poverty.
Just at 6% on 3 million
and he could live very well. After taxes
it would be around $75,000 a year !
If the $3 million principal is invested in something fairly conservative – let’s say a return of 3% – that would generate an income of $90,000 per annum. Most people would be ecstatic with that retirement income.
Dude, I’d be ecstatic with $100,000. I feel like can make that me last the rest of my life.
make that last me* the rest of my life.
Mentality of a broke man
Humble beginnings.
But I wouldn’t do bonds. Even though they’re safest option. I’m more of a dividend aristocrat kind of guy.
Don’t forget that you would have to pay taxes on that capital interest gaines. In the 50% tax bracket at that!
He’s doing it because he loves the game and wants to help the other players, not just for money reasons. Just guessing but I bet he has a little more than 3 million even with taxes and agents, but I could be wrong.
Isn’t that how most coaching and front office careers start?
Bailey had the talent.
“Bailey won the 2009 American League Rookie of the Year Award and was an All-Star in 2009 and 2010 while closer of the Athletics.”
It was the DL , injuries that did him in. The biggest one, I think he wouldn’t have retired if not for, was torn labrum and torn capsule in his shoulder, which he had season ending surgery to repair. I don’t think he was ever the same after that, but the heart and desire to keep going, and I kept rooting for him to succeed, and come back.
Bailey serves as a reminder that “baseball is a fickle mistress” and wish him well, and nothing but success moving forward.
he had* heart and desire to keep going, and I kept rooting for him to succeed, and come back.
Mets should try to get him for the minimum
he is retiring
I don’t know why this made me laugh but it did
Here comes Holland!
that has to do with this?
no
Don’t forget that he probably has retirement package with MLB so he would get that also, later in life right?
Maybe setting him up to be a pitching or bullpen coach?
He dodnt have much of a career.
He was a two time all-star, and a former rookie of the year
Another promising career ruined by injuries…it’s such a shame. Best of luck in retirement.