Jody Gerut Retires

As has been reported on the Mariner’s official team site, Jody Gerut announced his retirement this morning.

"“I can no longer, in good conscience, play the game in a manner that reflects the positive example for the younger generation of baseball players,” Gerut said. “Physically I’m fine. But mentally my reasons for wanting to be in uniform have become so thin and narrow that I refuse to disrespect the game that has provided so generously for my family by playing it in a halfhearted way. This game of ours owes me nothing, but I owe the game at least that much. When a player finds his willingness to compete to be so greatly diminished, that player must leave the game so as not to disrespect it by becoming a player who plays solely for his paycheck and his own personal glory. This is a notion so distasteful to me it makes me physically sick to my stomach. So I will now focus my attention on the well being of my family as I start the next chapter of my life. My children need their father and my wife needs her husband to be a bigger part of their everyday lives and today I won’t have it any other way. I give thanks to God and to the fans everywhere in the world who love and support our pastime and I encourage them to hold their heroes in the game of baseball to these very high standards, because you the fans deserve it.”"

You have to admit, the guy has class. I’d like to wish Gerut “good luck” in whatever he chooses to do now that his time as a baseball player is over.

This leave’s the team’s outfield in a bit of a bind, but i’ll have more on that later.