A Retirement That Couldn't Have Been Leiter

Al Leiter pitched for nineteen major-league seasons on over four different major league teams. He won 162 games and always kept the crowd entertained with his signature "grunt" after every pitch. A three time World Series winner, Leiter had a great persona around him and pitched for successful teams.

Yesterday, after getting the final out in a successful inning for the Yankees, Leiter decided to call it quits.

I'm not going to use any quotes or sayings that Leiter said yesterday because that would take away the immense emotional status that he was in. Retirement isn't easy, and for a guy like Al Leiter, who grew up in the small town of Toms River, NJ, it wasn't easy for him to hold back his emotions.

Before you know it, you'll be seeing Leiter pop up in unsuspected places. He said after the game yesterday to Ken Singleton that he liked the broadcasting business and needed a place to go this season. He'll follow in the footsteps of David Cone, Paul O'Neill, and David Justice, and will join a crew of former Yankees to go up into the broadcast booth (but, don't tell that to Bobby Murcer).

Leiter's retirement wasn't one that was followed by the media or by the fans. Leiter simply knew it was the right time, and so it was just a simple and light retirement. Rather than being forced out, Leiter, who is approaching 41, knew that to maintain a strong legacy, he would have to call it quits when him and his family thought it was the right time.

Manager Joe Torre among other teammates congratulated and remorsed with Leiter after his final pitch. Because it was spring training, the pitch will never be recorded in the history books; all it was was a simple pitch, and the last simple pitch, that was thrown by a great pitcher and a great man in an illustrious career that shadowed the better parts of the game.