According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, infielder Mark Ellis has decided to retire from professional baseball. Ellis told Slusser that “it was definitely time” to hang up his cleats and “it was time to do something else” with his kids growing up.
It was also hinted that the 37-year-old would have a position inside the Oakland Athletics‘ organization, according to general manager Billy Beane. Ellis spent the first nine seasons of his twelve-year major-league career with the Athletics.
“Mark was the consummate professional, both on and off the field. He brought a work ethic and consistency that you want all young players to emulate. In my 18 years as a GM, we have had a lot of players I have been particularly fond of; Mark was one of those. After some deserved time with Sarah and his children, I’m hopeful, when he is ready, Mark will continue his baseball career with the A’s.”
In 202 plate appearances for the St. Louis Cardinals during the 2014 campaign, Ellis slashed .180/.253/.213 with 12 runs batted in over only 73 games played, as he was plagued by an oblique injury, causing him to experience one of the worst seasons of his career. Before the 2014 season, the Cardinals had signed him to a one-year, $5.25 million contract during the offseason.
Over his twelve-year major-league career, Ellis played for the Oakland Athletics (2002-11), Colorado Rockies (2011), Los Angeles Dodgers (2012-13) and the St. Louis Cardinals. In 5728 career plate appearances, he hit .262/.327/.384 with 105 home runs and 550 runs batted in over 1435 games played.
Also, he was well know for his defensive prowess at second base. In his career, he compiled a .991 fielding percentage, which is good for the fifth-best fielding percentage of all-time. Ellis “took a lot of pride in [his] defense,” as that is “what kept [him] in the big leagues.”
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