Colorado Rockies pitcher LaTroy Hawkins announced this morning on MLB Networks’ “Hot Stove” that the 2015 season will be his last. Ken Rosenthal confirmed via Twitter that Hawkins is indeed retiring following this season:
#Rockies closer LaTroy Hawkins just said on “Hot Stove” that this will be his last season.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 12, 2014
The soon-to-be 42-year-old veteran is the oldest active player in the National League, as well as the 3rd oldest player in all of Major League Baseball—behind only the 43-year-old Jason Giambi and 42-year-old Raul Ibanez.
The 6’5” righty was drafted in the 7th round of the 1991 draft by the Minnesota Twins at the age of 18, reaching the Majors four years later in 1995. Originally a starter, the Twins moved Hawkins to the bullpen in 2000, where he proceeded to collect 42 saves over the 2000 and 2001 campaign. Following his nine-year stint with the Twins from 1995-2003, Hawkins signed with the Chicago Cubs before the 2004 season. However his visit would be short-lived, as Hawkins lived the life of a relief pitcher, pitching for 6 teams from 2004-2009—the Cubs, the San Francisco Giants, the Baltimore Orioles, the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees, and the Houston Astros, respectively.
Over that 6 season span, Hawkins posted a 3.35 ERA, 43 saves and a 6.2 K/9 over 379 1/3 innings in relief. Hawkins would then go on to pitch for the Milwaukee Brewers from 2010-11, Los Angeles Angels in 2012, New York Mets in 2013, and lastly for the Rockies again—where it appears his career will finish up.
All in all, the 20-year veteran will finish his career having pitched for 10 of the 30 current MLB teams. Hawkins is also one of 16 pitchers to have appeared in 1000 career regular season MLB games, a number that will surely grow for the reliever in his final season. The lanky-righty also has an immaculate inning—striking out all 3 batter on 9 pitches—to his name, a feat he achieved in a game against the then-Florida Marlins on September 11th, 2004.
While owning a career 4.33 ERA, Hawkins also has 124 career saves—including 23 last season at the age of 41. The righty has also thrown 1428 2/3 innings over his career, striking out 949 people over that span, as well.
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