The Orioles announced today that they have placed outfielder Colby Rasmus on the restricted list. He informed the team that he has decided not to continue playing, Jon Meoli of the Baltmore Sun tweets.
This is the second time that Rasmus has elected to leave his current team in the middle of the season. Last July, the Rays made a restricted list placement when Rasmus decided he would leave the organization. But he ended up pursuing a comeback with the O’s over the ensuing winter, signing a minors pact that included a $3MM salary and $2MM in potential incentives if Rasmus cracked the MLB roster.
It was long apparent that Rasmus would likely go north with the O’s out of camp, and that’s just what happened. But he went onto the disabled list only ten days into the season, with a hip strain that cost him a long stretch.
Unlike last year, when Rasmus was quite effective when on the field, he has struggled quite a bit in 2018. Through 49 plate appearances, he has just six base hits — only two of which went for extra bases.
It is a bit difficult to imagine that Rasmus will resume playing after this decision, though there’s no indication as of yet that he has formally retired. Prior to his more recent teams, Rasmus played with the Cardinals, Blue Jays, and Astros over a ten-year career.
If this is the end of the line, the former first-round pick and top prospect will wrap things up with a mixed record. On the one hand, Rasmus turned in a few substantially above-average seasons as a hitter and defender. That said, he rarely put it all together on a consistent basis and ended several of his stops on less-than-favorable terms. In the aggregate, Rasmus compiled an approximately league-average .241/.310/.436 batting line and hit 166 home runs over 4,119 career MLB plate appearances.
Is he giving up baseball again?
That’s pretty much the indication if anyone signs with the Orioles these days
That sounded educated.
Nope. Just objective.
That was funny. I liked it.
Not objective. A deliberate cheap shot. I’d curse at you but I’d get banned by MLBTR.
What!? Colby is an outstanding player , might I add a stellar clubhouse presence. This is truly a big surprise to all.
Lol….I know right?
Oh brother.
Can this season for the O’s get any more weird?
July 13 of 2017. I wonder what’s going on.
Summer vacation, that’s whats going on.
I was kind of upset when the Cardinals traded him, but in hindsight the guy hasn’t done a whole lot besides be a clubhouse distraction
Turns out LaRussa was right about him. Too bad Rasmus apparently didn’t learn anything by being given the old heave-ho by a Hall of Fame manager. Dude doesn’t get it, and he never did.
3 million for all that, huh?
And Meoli said we’re playing short tonight because there was no time to replace him….what a team player
He’s probably leaving half of it on the table
Yeesh. What’s the deal with this guy?
I do not know much about him but it seems to me that he has not had his heart into pro baseball for a number of years.It is a tough enough competitive sport with your complete focus.I think it serves the Orioles right to be caught short.Fool me once,shame on you.Fool me twice,shame on me.
Maybe Toronto ruined him? Maybe he’s just had enough. He hasn’t looked “into it” since his last season in Houston.
He was ruined before he came to Toronto….need to explain your comment stupid
Of course, it’s Toronto’s fault. SMDH. That makes perfect sense. NOT!
His career was damaged by his meddling father. If sports had a version of a stage mother….it’s Colby’s Dad. He distracted the adult son & pissed off management.
Then there was the dreadlocks thing. That’s when the career started winding down. There is no coming back from that for a grown southern man. He came to GAMES late & was no shows at practices. That stuff doesn’t fly in Toronto, even if you have good hair. LOL
If I was an Indian fan, I’d be all over Manny. The idea that their window may not be closing is irrelevant. They’ve not won a World Series since 1948. How often have they even had a window? Offer the world, and get Britton or Brach, as well.
What’s that have to do with Colby Rasmus?
All you people ready to tear into him, remember he only had 49 plate-appearances in 2018. Playing for the 2018 Orioles would make me re-evaluate my life too.
I imagine Rasmus in a quiet place contemplating.
Be nice, anonymous internet people.
Xabial, I couldn’t agree more!
Had he not walked out on the Rays mid-season just last year we might be more understanding.
Guy retires mid season every year
What a d bag. Treats real life like the show.
Why would anyone want a guy who has absolutely no passion for the game? I think this is like the 69th time he’s done this
2nd. You were close though
Colby absolutely stunk most of his time in Toronto. With that said I dunno how you hate a guy for quitting. You want him to stick it out and go through the motions. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if it comes out he has some kind of mental health issue. Playing baseball everyday is such a grind.
Let the guy go off and enjoy his country music concerts
“Playing baseball everyday is such a grind” unlike Police, Firemen or Military people who have a day at the beach everyday!!
At least if you’re a police officer you don’t have to worry about accountability? Kinda like Chris Davis right now. He’s so bad at his job he gets a week long paid vacation.
Ton of stress in those jobs, I am sure, but for some people, being in the national spotlight on a regular basis might be the worst thing possible for them. Colby, AFAIK, has always been pushed too hard by his dad. Expectations have always been miles higher than he was able to deliver. I guarantee that being traded to Toronto was extremely hard to take (I love the jays but Mark Buehrle told it best Re: Southern players going north). Seems trivial to us but….. I don’t think it could have been easy for him to this point. Hope everything works out for the guy. It isn’t like he is walking away from something terribly important.
Rasmus finally found his groove in TOR when Gibby benched him and began using him primarily as a pinch hitter. Never seen him produce like he did when only given one AB every other game.
Baseball is certainly not the grind that top-flight first responders and military personnel endure, but probably punishing enough for players making $4.5MM per year on average to justifiably retire after 10 years at the highest level.
Unfortunately, none of the first responders or military heroes that you referenced are paid enough to retire with generational wealth after just 10 years in their respective professions.
I assumed since I used the number 69 you could tell that I was exaggerating and being sarcastic but apparently not
He would have quit on the 2016 Astros if he wasn’t getting an absurd $16 million for that year. He went on the DL because of an ear infection in addition to having a stretch of 2-48 or something stupid. No way another franchise gives him a contract. He may change his mind again I guess.
What a waste of a roster spot.
Yeah he was such a waste in 2016 when he was raking against the Royals and nearly eliminated them single handily.
47 million is pretty good earnings for a roughly league average bat considering how much teams are hesitating to sign this type of corner OF bat.
ESPN is reporting that he has actually retired
I didn’t know that ESPN still acknowledged baseball
Just enough to get a couple wild card games and so Chris Berman can annoy the world during the Derby.
I didnt know ESPN still acknowledged sports
I hope he retired because no team will ever give him another chance he has ruined his baseball career
He can go back to Alabama and eat squirrel. Yes the Os suck this year but he quit on his team
Where the hell is Eddie? He usually eats these things
Not anymore, they’re high in cholesterol
…poor Colby…people keep holding a gun to his head…and making him sign things..it’s not his fault…
Man just wanna quit…..
Good riddance
I guess he just wants to follow his brother’s footsteps?
I heard he has a crazy dad that likes to hang around the clubhouse and that was part of the issue in Tampa but that might just be a rumor
That was very much what reportedly prompted La Russa to urge the Cardinals FO to trade Rasmus away. Guess there was room for only one cranky arrogant dad in La Russa’s clubhouse.
Either you’re going to play ML baseball or you’re not. Stop jerking teams around and let them use the roster space for someone who really has a passion for the game and would give anything for your spot on the team’s roster
Million dollar talent, 10 cent head
Rasmus was a huge contribution in 2011 for the Cardinals…by being the centerpiece of a trade for Dotel and Scrabble.