How many of thes guys really need to hang up the cleats?

Question

Julio Franco - 47
Roger Clemens - 45
Jamie Moyer - 44
David Wells - 44
Randy Johnson - 43
Barry Bonds - 43
Greg Maddux - 41
Tom Glavine - 41
Curt Schilling - 41

Answer 1

Franco -- definitely
Clemens -- definitely
Moyer -- may have a good year or two left
Wells -- should already be gone
Johnson -- Same as Wells
Bonds -- Should have left before breaking the record
Maddux -- Still has 2 good years left
Glavine -- Also has a couple years left
Schilling -- Maybe one more year, though he's become overrated because of his "bloody sock" hype

Answer 2

The most obvious is Clemens. He probably will have to with all the hamstring problems he is having. Randy Johnson should do the same, in my opinion. He is not pitching that great anymore (the days of him and Schilling going 1, 2, and being co-MVP's are long gone.). He is also having major back problems. Bonds might have to hang them up, not because he can not play (all his has to do to stop that is get some roids) but because I do not see a team picking him up anytime soon. I think Maddux, Glavine, Schilling, Wells, and Moyer have maybe 1 or 2 years left. Franco is just crazy and I just want to see him play at 50 years old.

Answer 3

Franco, Clemens, Wells > yes
Moyer, Maddux, Glavine > no, each still could put up at least 1 solid 13-15 win season
Bonds > if he could get on as a DH, no, otherwise yes.
Johnson > hard to tell with the injury trouble, which may indicate he should, but I'd like to see him get 300 wins.
Schilling > I'm borderline with him, either way is cool by me.

Answer 4

All should hang it up except for Franco and Moyer.

Moyer is twice as good as he was at half his age. The way he's going, he might be Cy Young caliber by time he hits 50. Well, that might be an exaggeration, but he went 34-49 in his 20's, 130-71 in his 30's, and 66-53 in his 40's. His two 20 game win seasons came at age 38 and 40. He's pitched 200 innings or more in 8 of last 10 seasons (and this year he pitched 199.3 innings). He's got at least 10 years left.

Why should Franco retire? (by the way, he's 49, not 47) He's not eligible for Social Security yet. He needs to play at least until 2020 so he match Minnie Minoso's feat of playing in five different decades.

Answer 5

All except the 41 year olds ... and I would add Wakefield to the list, if only to have him go out as a champ and not a pitcher in the decline a la the others. The others are already past that point to varying degrees, alas.

Answer 6

Of that list, only Schilling and Maddux can still perform at some level.

Answer 7

Tom Glavine definately does

Answer 8

Franco and Wells really need to read the tea leaves.

Johnson wants 300 wins, so he'll tough it out unless he is totally physically incapable of pitching.

The other guys are all walking their own paths.

Answer 9

I work in the area of employment law and that list looks like a fine example of age discrimination. There are plenty of players half their ages that could also consider hanging up their cleats ala Russell Branyan.

Answer 10

If MLB owners are still willing to pay them, why retire?
All made contributions to their teams this year, and some got paid more than guys who did much more. The game is a business and if someone is willing to pay you, and you still have the drive, get the money while it is on the table!!!!!!!!
If I was an owner, I would be glad to have any one of them on my team- except for Barry of course, TOO MUCH DRAMA!
But, I would bet there is an owner out there in negotiations with him right now!!!!!