Padres second baseman Ian Kinsler has announced his retirement, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (via Twitter; full article via subscription link). He’ll move into the San Diego front office as an adviser.
Precisely what will happen to the $4.25MM Kinsler is owed under the contract he inked last winter remains to be seen. That will be subject to negotiations between the team and its now-former player.
Kinsler, 37, says he simply decided it was “time to move on.” He wraps up a 14-year career with borderline Hall-of-Fame credentials. He tallied a hefty 57.2 rWAR in his career, tied for 140th among all MLB players, and logged overall statistics that put him ahead of some Hall-worthy second baggers. Now begins a five-year waiting period to see whether Kinsler will gain traction among voters.
Though it seems unlikely he’ll command a plaque in Cooperstown, Kinsler turned in an undeniably outstanding career — all the more impressive considering he was a 17th-round draft pick. He was a perennially above-average hitter who excelled in the field and on the basepaths. Kinsler finishes things up just one hit shy of the 2k barrier. Over 8,299 trips to the plate in the majors, he slashed .269/.337/.440 with 257 home runs and 243 stolen bases.
Kinsler will be remembered most for his eight-year run with the Rangers. While that tenure ended with some acrimony when Kinsler was dealt to the Tigers, he thanked the organization in his comments to Rosenthal. Kinsler ended up having a productive, four-year stint in Detroit before rounding out his career with brief stops with the Angels, Red Sox, and Friars. Kinsler picked up a ring with the 2018 Red Sox.
Of more immediate concern is the impact on the Padres roster. Kinsler wasn’t clogging up a ton of payroll space but would’ve occupied an active roster spot and commanded a decent amount of playing time. Now, the path is cleared all the more for recently acquired second baseman Jurickson Profar, who’ll presumably be supplemented by Greg Garcia at second. The Friars have an additional slot and some added financial flexibility to work with in structuring their preferred alignment.
Kinsler hadn’t been in the form he or the team hoped when he signed on this time last year. He managed only a .217/.278/.368 batting line in 281 plate appearances before his season was cut short owing to a herniated cervical disk. Kinsler says that malady also influenced his decision to call it quits. Though he wasn’t able to play to his typical standard or log his 2,000th hit in 2019, Kinsler did make his first and only appearance on the MLB mound, turning in a scoreless frame.
It seems that Kinsler is already preparing for the next chapter in his personal and professional life. MLBTR congratulates him on an outstanding career and extends its best wishes for the future.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
guess playing for the Padres makes people want to retire….sad
Like Bill Hall?
weird comment bro
Yours was dumb … bro.
I personally enjoyed the Bill Hall reference
As did I 🙂
Yeah, so was yours, CrewBrew.
With the handle of CrewBrew, you can expect that user consistently failing to provide any useful insight.
When did Bill Hall play for the Padres? Lol
right there at the end…apparently.
He didn’t. He played for Milwaukee, which apparently made him want to retire. Sad.
Bill Hall played for, and or signed with 5 teams after the Brewers, Einstein. He signed a one day contract with the Brewers because he wanted to retire as a Brewer.
No hitting under .200 for three years will do that; plus he is stepping aside and taking a coaching/front office role so we can actually fill his spot with someone productive.
Kinsler has never hit below the mendoza line.
Name one year he hit below .200. Never happened once let alone 3 times. Get a clue.
I should have checked before I posted but if you would have watched him last year this would come as no surprise as he was constantly late to the ball and definitely wore down physically; great ball player in his prime but no surprise about his retirement especially after he got injured
Phenoms? Probably best to say sorry.
They traded for Profar to fill his spot. The Padres are not looking for productive players.
The guy IS 37 and was a good player on his prime. The time comes for everyone.
Ryne Sandberg quit here during a road trip… Obscure reference if that’s what you were shooting for. Bravo, possibly.
Relative to the tangential, Sandberg’s retirement was a bit shocking as he wasn’t far from his prime.
Kinsler just doesn’t have it anymore. Nothing to do with the Padres.
Not a hall of famer but a very solid career by him
the BBWAA hates second basemen so much that Kinsler might not get one vote. 2nd basemen need their own hall at this point.
True, the fact that Lou Whitaker still isn’t in the hall is a disgrace
yeah, that is pretty absurd.
True dat tigersfan1320
Oh, please. A career .276 hitter with fewer than 2,400 hits and little power. It’s this mentality that has allowed players like Harold Baines, Alan Trammell and Ted Simmons (not to mention Lee Smith and Bruce Sutter) into the HOF. It should be renamed the Hall of Pretty Good.
Grich and Whitaker are both top 10 2B all time. HOW are they both not in???
Harold Baines? Bruce Sutter?? FOH
well it’s not called the hall of great. or the hall of elite. or the hall of the truly best that ever played the game. it’s called the hall of fame. fame is not defined as only those who are the elite talent. that’s why numbers it’s ridiculous to use numbers alone to account for fame. what I just said is absolutely ridiculous. it’s to illustrate that your comment of changing the name to the hall of very good is equally ridiculous.
TRUTH!!
Check out HOF second baseman Bill Mazeroski’s stats.
Whitaker is unquestionably deserving. It’s the traditional stats that make everyone seem terrible.
Lee Smith was one of the first great closers. he is unbelievably qualified.
Top X 2B of all time is meaningless though. Most players who are considered great 2B perhaps are only because they play 2B, where historically weak offensive players play. Ryan Sandberg could have easily played 3B or LF instead of 2B. Where would he rank if that was the case? Same with Kinsler. If he was on an team that already had an established 2B what would his career look like?
The only position that deserves and separate consideration is catcher.
So, based on your assessment, Rizutto should be nowhere near the Hall.
Some people are a bit ignorant of BB history when there was a greater emphasis on defense and fundamentals. If a 2B did all that and hit a career .276 with 2,000 hits he was indeed a candidate. Trammell had the numbers and the longivity to go with the fundamentals -he’s not even borderline and would have been in long ago if more sportswriters were actually fans and serious observers of the game instead of dreaming of a Pulitzer.
to be honest, Riz probably shouldnt be in the hall, though there are plenty of worse HoFers.
this makes the assumption that playing LF or 1b is as easy as 2b. History and analysis would suggest that’s not true
Or Jeff Kent.
Consider that Maz played in the dead-ball era and Kinsler, Kent and others played in the superball era with smaller fields before you compare stats. Today’s stats don’t mean nearly as much as those in the 50’s or 60’s when the ball didn’t fly off the bat like a golf ball.
MILTYPOPS? Cool those jets Bra.
BigFred does not realize that Bill Mazeroski got into the HOF because he had Joe Brown pushing him in 2001 and not because of his hitting.He had good range and a fine arm,but led the NL in DP’s 9 out of 10 years I believe.
That is pretty impressive for a second baseman.
He was a good clutch hitter,and hit the most important game winning home run in baseball history in 1960.That was probably the reason that Ted Williams did not want him in the HOF although Ted thought that only great hitters should get in.
True statement
Jeff Kent deserves to be in first.
dont interpret this as Kinsler being a no-doubt hall of famer – i think his longevity is just short. Kent on the other hand, probably should be before him simply because Kinsler is unlikley ever to.
Jeff Kent… is that an echo I hear? For whatever reason he’s been totally overlooked. Was on only two ballots I believe.
Because he’s highly opinionated like Schilling. HOF voters don’t like that.
Kent was a particularly hard posterior type as a player, and not exactly a sparkling personality when it came to his teammates and the media, but nothing like Schilling. He’s made enough of a point of being opinionated that many speculate he will run for office some day. Not that it should really matter.
the true definition of a player that was on the red sox, that nobody ever knew was on the red sox, all the best ian!
That’s completely not true. If you followed baseball you knew. He and Pedroia have a bit of a rivalry so it was interesting that they were in the same dugout.
Five years from now there’s not a chance that even the most hardcore baseball fans outside of Boston remember that.
That’s because no one cares
I would agree, but he did have that huge error in the World Series. It cost them the game, even if it only ended up being a blip on their way to WS. A lot of people might remember his brief stint in Boston if they were watching that World Series.
Unless Ty Buttrey turns into a franchise pitcher for the Angels
oh wow. Pads 100% cut him a deal. all in all though, great player, one of the best 2B in recent years.
My guess, the pads got him to stretch the deal into a million a year for the next four years. Serving in the front office and being groomed for a head coaching position somewhere.
Players that tell the fans “F$%& you all” don’t gt managerial positions. They get stuffed in a backroom somewhere so that they don’t have to deal with the public.
Shame he didn’t do this before 40 man rosters had to be set.
you wolnt miss Megill, if he even last the season
I don’t miss him but having more roster flexibility that time of year is huge.
Never look a gift horse in the mouth
2016 for the tigers was a monster year for him
ForDoingNothing he is taking a job with the Padres Front Office.
For which they will pay him….right?
He didn’t simply retire.
He was my Tiger. Gold glove fielder with clutch hit for average.
Absolutely ridiculous that the Padres have to negotiate what Kindler gets. If you retire you get nothing that’s left over. I can’t go into work and say I’m quitting but I still expect you to pay me the rest of my salary for the year. He should get nothing
Why you acting like this effects your wallet
They’re basically implying that he likely retired after discussions with the front office and being told he’d be moved to the bench, so they talked him into retiring and will pay his salary which won’t count against their luxury tax.
What he said…. He likely was not going to give away the 4 million, force them to release you or use a roster spot and get paid. This just takes the ickyness away from the process and is really a class move from where I sit
If they hadn’t agree to pay him something, he wouldn’t have retired.
.
His employer thought enough of his skills to guarantee him a salary with a contract. You should go to your boss and demand a guarantee based on your skills. Let us know what your boss says.
AZPat just dunked on ForDoingNothing ya love to see it
depends. maybe they cut a deal to get out from under part of his contract. perhaps he wanted to play but they didnt want to pay him all the money.
Ask your boss to guarantee you a salary for the next two years the next time you’re negotiating a raise or with a new potential employer.
Ok, if he is a contractor, then that is pretty much how it is done. In many cases the time of employment and salary are fixed and there is little to no negotiating. Contractors generally make more than standard employees in the corporate world from my experience. At the same time, the employee is expected to perform a job and meet certain standards. If you break the contract you are likely to get nothing. You might even be expected to pay back some of that salary for breaking the contract.
Rewarding people for a lifetime of work, in a profession you cannot be in past 40, is a completely not-insane thing to happen. Why are you acting otherwise?
You do know you will never ever ever be a billionaire, or even a millionaire, right? Why are you siding with those people?
We are surrounded by these genuflecting dullards nowadays. They dream someday the affluent will choose to daintily toss them a sack of coins.
Strike Four-Ian Kinsler has made over $100,000,000 in his career for playing baseball.
Does he need further reward for retiring?
Would you like to retire with that sort of wealth in your late 30’s?
Why are you siding with the multi multi millionaires?
who cares how much money he has made in his career? clearly the Pads wanted to cut a deal and they did. that’s 100% on them.
I don’t care what kind of deal if any there is,but Strike Four seems to be crying poor for him.
Seems to me you either want to play or no.Seems to me that the team either wants you or not.If there was some sort of half way deal between them it is their business and no one else’s.
Speak for yourself. In today’s reality, if you’re not a millionaire when you retire, you’re not retiring well. If you look at net worth including my home I’m there. That said, Kinsler’s deal is and was a huge ripoff.
I love when folks cry and point to their stupid lives. You’re not a pro ball player. You and your 10 dollar an hour janitor job aren’t the same thing.
Yeah. The janitor probably has actual honor.
Yeah, yeah, I think I will… …retire. Good night, Coleman.
Great career my dude. Best wishes
Retires 1 hit shy of 2000. Should sign a 1 day contract for opening day and try to get that hit!
If he starts like last year, it could take him a month.
He had a great run but, as is for all of us, it ends. I wish him the best going forward…
1 hit shy of 2000! Solid career similar to Sweet Lou in Detroit.
You can’t retire with 1999 hits.
you tell HOFer Jimmy Collins that!
oh man…hate to see it….part of a dying breed of baseball rats…
You mean short white guys? Nope, we still have plenty of those types. See, baseball doesn’t discriminate, because it’s a skill game, not an athletic one!
Try and stop using phrases like “baseball rats” – you simply cannot get to MLB without being 1000000000% obsessed with the game. To insinuate it’s a “dying breed” is an insult to every single professional player. Well done.
Hahha yeah son
So this should provide some payroll relief correct?
Maybe a couple million, nothing that will make a difference.
Here’s to rooting for him to work with the Umpire’s Association upon retiring.
I always thought he was kind of a clown for the way he acted toward the umpires
I agree. I’m not a “don’t criticize the umps” guy, but there’s certainly lines. I think Kinsler routinely crossed them.
one more hit for 2k, then retire!
Folks tend to forget he was almost the definition of a great fielding 2Bman…..great in-game skills….
It was kind of sad seeing him regress to what he had. He probably worked some kind of deal where he took some bucks to get out of the way. To my memory, Mike Cuddyer’s the only one who just flat out retired, leaving some significant coin on the table. .
Gil Meche
Ryan Dempster I believe? I want to say it was 13 million bucks.
He’s 1 hit from 2,000!
Billy Pierce was 1 strikeout away from 2,000. But back then it didn’t matter. People weren’t obsessed with stats.
Sure they were. They just didn’t know it.
I agree with the others. You cannot retire with x,999 hits.
Rangers need to sign him for a day to DH so he can get that last hit. maybe a double-header for good measure.
That sort of carnivalesque saccharine crap needs to be curtailed.
Uncalled-for cynicism has no place, either.
Perhaps a compromise can be made. Called for cynicism is allowed, and one day contracts must be signed in crayon.
Fair enough.
Always enjoyed watching Kinsler play – ball player. I respect his decision, the man has standards.
… Kinsler has 1999 career hits – so close. That alone is noteworthy.
In 37 regular season games with the Red Sox, Kinsler batted .242 with 1 home run, 16 RBIs, and 7 stolen bases in 132 at bats, stop saying hes a ‘ great’ player while yes he may have been with the tigers im focused on what I SAW, i dont watch other teams, he was average, nothing more, nothing less, he was a good defensive 2nd baseman. Best wishes, stop thinking hes Cal Ripken, ok?
This may be the dumbest thing I’ve ever read here
So you decide how good a player is based off the ONE TIME you saw them play in person???
Youre special.
I’ve never really seen Trout play, he can’t be too good. When I did pay attention to him for that two – three week stretch, he only hit like 2 homers. What’s all the fuss about this guy?
In his last season, Babe Ruth played in 28 games, hit .181 with six homers. If that’s the only season you saw him, would you say the same thing? And no, I’m not comparing Kinsler to Ruth in any sense, but if you are going to say that about a player because you only saw his last season, it’s not valid. Mays his .211 with 6 homers in 66 games in his final season. Hank Aaron hit .229 with 10 homers in 85 games.
My point is that a player’s last season is not what you judge his career by.
Excellent comment.
Phenoms? Probably best to say sorry.
Amanda, if were to base our opinions on strictly what we SEE, then based on seeing your post, I would conclude you are not a knowledgable baseball fan.
I don’t think I’ve seen a more ignorant, narrow-minded comment on this site since I started looking at it daily in 2014.
You’re an uninformed clown. You’re the only one here I disagree with 99% of the time.
Amanda? Gosh. Do not look on the other side of a baseball card!
And Mandy? You are correct, average. Gosh, really. Thanks though.
Everyone has an opinion. Mandys has hers. We are all richer for her
entering into comments.
And Mandy DON’T you ever tell me what to think!!!!
I hardly know you.
I saw Miguel Cabrera last year for the tigers. Man I don’t know why everyone said he was a sure fire hall of famer!!!!
Kinsler has had a solid career. I wish him well.
Doesn’t he kinda look like that actor James Franco….
And doesn’t that just make you want to punch him in the face lol
I loved this guy. Mostly because of fantasy baseball, but he was fun to watch, antics aside.
Excelled on the basepaths? Seemed like he got picked off more than anyone on the Rangers all those years.
Possibly the greatest player ever who was dealt for Prince Fielder
So he ruins Luis Urias’ Padres career and then retires shortly after he gets traded.
The front office ruined Urias. total mishandling by a clueless fool. Preller is bad.
Get over Urias when the guy hits ovder .280 in a single season I’ll be the first to say, we should have kept him, in the meantime I see no loss.
Do you want your order of crow to be sent via UPS or FedEx?
Very good ballplayer…congrats on a great career and best of luck in your future sir…
He had a great career. Shame he was only 1 hit away from 2,000.
Oh man, 1 hit away from 2k.
If he had signed with the DBacks one of the first two times they drafted him, (in 2000 in the 29th round as a high school senior, then again in 2001 in the 26th round when he was going to Central Arizona College. He still didn’t sign…..and ultimately was drafted out of Missouri by the Rangers in 2003 in the 17th round, So improving his draft position from 29 to 17 didn’t make him any extra money, but it cost him at least 2 years longer to reach the majors. He didn’t debut until he was 24. I think had he arrived at age 22, which he probably would have, that extra 1200 PA’s and counting stats might have given him a higher profile. DBacks sure could have used a HOF caliber secondbaseman but they probably would have traded him before he hit free agency. 🙁
Good luck to him. Fun player to watch
Pretty sure this is a forced retirement, like the Yankees did to ARod. Since money is still owed on a contract, it makes sense to have him work. Who knows, maybe he can continue his job doing work for a sport he loved and did really well with.
I remember all too well Kinsler’s exit from the Rangers. So, I hope he comes one vote short of the hall, but hey, thanks for the memories.
I still see Kinsler pop ups in my nightmares. The guy couldn’t ever figure out how to punch a ball into right field
His attitude in San Diego was less than exemplary. Plus low production. Good riddance.
players wear out after some time. Kinsler’s nearly 40 now.
Glad to see him make this decision instead of just playing for a paycheck. More players should do this when they get to this age and their skills erode as much as his did over the past 2+ years. With that said, he had an 8-10 year run where he was one of, if not the best, all-around 2nd basemen in MLB. He could hit for power, average, steal 30+ bases per year and was incredible defensively as well. Congrats Ian on an amazing career and I hope your next chapter as a baseball executive is equally successful and fulfilling for you!
Congrats on a great career. AZ born and raised! Oro Valley is a beautiful place.
What makes people think he’s a Hall of Famer? He was really good for a while, but Hall of Fame? 4 all star games… the best he could muster in MVP voting was 11th. Led the league in at bats and plate appearances one year.
It’s getting so that everyone gets in.
I agree. This guy was never an A player. He was a fantastic complementary player, but he’s not a Hall of Famer. Ian would probably say the same thing.
I can’t believe anyone thinks he should be in the HOF. I still can’t believe Harold Baines got in. Who is next? Pete Incaviglia?
Geeze MELCHEZ. He is not in!!! No drama MELCHEZ. Maybe talk to Amanda. She is a little bossy. She was there once, dude!
Clears a roster spot for…Lindor…
Ian was good but he was certainly not better than sweet Lou Whitaker and the hall just took a dump all over him.
Fierce player, best of luck to Kinsler.
Congrats on a great career. Probably not a HOF, but that doesn’t mean it wasnt a solid run.
I was under the impression that when a player retires they forfeit their contract. Isn’t that why David Wright put it off for so long?
With guaranteed contracts in MLB, most retirements are negotiated between the team and the player. Kinsler could have stayed on for the year, probably on the 60 day IL due to his neck and collected his full salary, but it’s obvious that he and the team struck for him to retire and give the team SOME payroll relief, but he’ll certainly be paid something for his decision to retire early. Must be nice, right???
EMERSON? Eddy Murphy – does impersonations. Bring under just about anything
throwns the angle off. It is a light thing. Who is David Wright?
Good luck Ian. I thoroughly enjoyed watching you play over the years, especially as a Tiger. You played with enthusiasm and with a kid-like spirit everyday. I appreciate the way you played the game. Angel Hernandez will sleep peacefully tonight.
didn’t get 2,000 hits or have a .300 or better lifetime avg he’s not getting in the hof
kankobra? So right Like oh duh Bra.
“Get off my field.” Always thought Kinsler was a d-bag as.a Ranger and it pained me when he joined the Angels in 2018 (and sucked). At least they got a decent bullpen arm (Buttrey) when then unloaded him on the Sox.
Always enjoyed watching Ian play. A scrapper with style. Best of luck.
Is Dustin Pedroia next?
Is Dustin Pedroia next??
HOF if he goes in as a Padre lol! Otherwise, I’m glad he retired. We didnt want to stomach another year of him.
I bet he was going to be DFAd, or traded so he retired
Another doozy of signing by AJ Misfit of GM
2 years at anything was an overpay
I see Garcia as the No.1 2B platooning with ? Jurickson
How much time do you need to finish to be eligible for the MLB pension? I thought it was 15 but I could be wrong. Kinsler would finish a year shy if I’m right.
After 10 years in the Bigs your set as far as retirement pay
Classy now if only Myers would show some class
Classy move if it was his idea alone and he quit without getting paid for this year.
As long as Myers is trying to do his best he is every bit as entitled to his money as a rookie.
It is not his fault that an idiot owner or general manager gave him that contract.
Myers with his attitude is worth 1/3 of what they’re paying him, and believe me Myers is not trying his best at least not on the field. We’re stuck with this guy at least for another year, $22M down the drain. He’s need to put about 30 lbs of muscle on that frame and play LF like he really knows what he’s doing.
Nowhere-You know better than me.
It amazes me that these guys play a sport,have someone stupid enough to give them a big contract even though they are not proven,then do not give a darn about playing well.
You and I would play for next to nothing.
Trade rumors Kirby and Myers for a No.2 SP, and a Top 50 prospect, of course Friars eat 1/2 of his salary. We’ll see how this pans out
Keep dreaming
Whenever a player of his ilk retires we must ask, is he the greatest 2B (keystone position) of all time?
Solid player. Job well done. Congrats.
Solid player… not HOF calibre in my opinion, but if Harold Baines is a HOFer then whatever I guess.
This guy is not hof material .. as long as Sweet Lou is not considered HOF worthy …
An all around great guy, unfortunately his last year playing was very poor and he was unable to get #2000. However, in the clubhouse, he is still a figurehead and great role model and during his prime, he was one of the top second basemen.
I wish him well in his coaching/front office role, and as a Padres fan, I know that he will still add great impact from that position. Good luck Mr. Kinsler, cheers to a wonderful career!!
Props to him for leaving while he couldn’t produce. A man of principles. He had quite the career of being a lead off man with great power. Great glove too. I loved him. Hope he becomes some sort of Spring Training couch or something.
Always liked Kinzler. Came to play every day…but If Lou Whitatker isn’t a HOF’er than neither is Kinz.
borderline HOF?