The latest retirement news from around the game . . .
- Per an Atlanta Braves team release, former IF/OF Matt Tuiasosopo has retired and will manage the club’s low-A Rome affiliate next season. Tuiasosopo, 32, appeared in parts of five major league seasons with Seattle, Detroit, and Atlanta, slashing a combined .206/.288/.353 in 404 career plate appearances. The brother of former NFL quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo showed late-career promise in Triple-A with the White Sox and Braves, but decided to call it quits after a poor showing with the New Britain Bees of the independent Atlantic League in 2018.
- In the same release, the Braves announced that former MLB IF/OF Alfredo Amezaga is no longer playing and will make his “coaching debut” with the organization in a to-be-determined capacity. Amezaga had spent much of 2013-17 in the Mexican League after a decade-long MLB career with four different teams. The 40-year-old slashed a respectable .247/.307/.333 over those ten seasons, starting at least one game at every position on the diamond, save for behind the plate. The Mexican-born Amezaga’s 2004 grand slam, hit in the first game of a decisive, final-weekend series against the Athletics, will live forever in Angel lore. He last appeared stateside for AAA-Albuquerque in 2013 after spending parts of the 2011 season with the Rockies and Marlins.
I was just looking at Amezaga’s stats with the Marlins a few minutes ago. ai thought he stopped playing long time ago.
Tell Valbuena that he actually stopped playing ball. Oh you can’t he’s dead. He was murdered after playing a game down south.
There is more baseball, and dangers than playing in the good ol’ USA.
Mac I don’t really understand why you said this at all. There’s nothing wrong w his Amezega comment up there. I thought he was done as well. BBref doesn’t track Mexican league statistics so unless you looked the guy up you wouldn’t know. No need for that valbuena comment at all.
Best wishes to the Amazing Amezaga in his post playing career!
Agree. He was 100% energy before he really tore up his leg, like shattered one of the bones believe it was and was never the same player again..
He used to run around.. Wave flags.. Slap guys on the helmet.. He was The Great Tommy helms favorite player because of all the excitement he brought with him and didn’t hurt the little guy could play all over and hit a little to boot.
Agreed he was so much fun. As a Marlin he was just fun to watch. Played great defense everywhere. Then what always made me laugh was the first time they interviewed him post game (these are the years of Miguel Cabrera and players speaking no English)* and they talk to Amezega and he speaks the most eloquent fluent English on the team. I was expecting this heavy Mexican accent . Just one more way he entertained me.
*And no I have zero issue with them not speaking English before any trolls want to start something
Amezaga did get to a top ten in defensive WAR one year. That’s pretty good.
Last
Must be a terribly slow day.. snooze fest.. who cares
You obviously care.
January 2nd normally is.
mrgreenjeans…….Bob Keeshan was probably smart enough to realize that MLBTR reports on stuff like this all year round. You should have paid more attention to the Captain.
Way back in August 2004 I was starting my second year of college and loving in the athletes dorm when I met a freshman the baseball team had recruited to play catcher. He had been drafted by the same team as Tuiasosopo, allegedly as insurance incase the Mariners failed to sign him. When they signed Tuiasosopo, they basically told him they were interested in buying this guy out of his college commitment. It worked out for him though. Three years later he was a first round draft pick and he had a pretty decent career. I still wouldn’t have guessed Tuiasosopo would have a longer career than him though.
j.p. arencibia?
he seems to fit what you said, 17th round pick by the mariners out of high school, ended up going to college, 1st round pick in 2007
You were “loving in the athletes dorm”?….not that there’s anything wrong with that…..
Such filth. There are impressionable children here like xabial.
“…starting at least one game at every position on the diamond, save for behind the plate.”
FAKE NEWZ! Amezaga never started a game at first base either. He played there but didn’t start.
Did he actually START a game at pitcher?
I’ve never heard of either of these players .
Is that the same Tuiasosopo that trolled Manti Te’o?