Adrian Beltre has decided to call it a career after 21 seasons of play. The Texas Rangers third baseman decided the hang up his glove this Monday, making his decision public through the Rangers’ Twitter account.
Two Decades Of Work
Retirement is more than well deserved for Beltre after more than twenty years in the big leagues. He started his career in Los Angeles, where he spent the first seven years of his MLB service playing for the Dodgers. The Dominican infielder then signed with the Seattle Mariners as a free agent, inking a deal in 2004 to play in the Pacific Northwest. He then moved to Boston for the 2010 season. After 2010, Adrian signed with the Rangers in a deal worth $96 million for six years. He showed no signs of stopping until this Monday as the former All Star said goodbye to baseball.
What Is Left Behind
Beltre leaves behind numbers that many other retired players would desire. He batted .286 for life, with 1,707 RBI and 477 home runs. Add to that, a variety of hardware as he collected multiple awards. He is a former four time All Star and a four time Gold Glove winner. He also won four Silver Slugger awards and two Platinum Gloves. Nonetheless, it was the World Series ring that always eluded him.
His retirement also raises an important question: Is Beltre Hall Of Fame Worthy? Only time will tell.