Quote:
|
Originally Posted by StorminZ
I have this pit in my stomach ... is it possible that Pat has played his last game an Fenway????? Say it ain't so!!!???
One of the greatly debated questions in sports is "when should a great player retire -- while he is still competitive (a.k.a., going out on top), or when he can no longer play at the professional level (in other words, the decision is -- more or less -- made for him)?" It seems that Pat still has lots to contribute to the Red Sox.
|
Thanks for your posts, StorminZ. You were one of Pat's first fans, and it's good to see you back.
I've had a debate running in my own mind about the timing of Pat's retirement. One side of me wants to step into Pat's shoes, so to speak, and take over the decision myself. The other wants to step back and be as much of an "outside observer" as possible, and let the OOTP engine do with Pat as it will.
If I decide that I'm making the call, then the question of how long to let Pat stay active remains. In a season in which Pat turned 40, he was still an All-Star, the best second baseman in the American League. As you'll soon see when I post his stats, Pat was not quite the player he was in his prime, but he was still a big, big reason why the Red Sox won another World Series.
The idea of going out with a ring is appealing, but would Pat retire after a season that was as productive as this one was?
It might be interesting to take a close look at how the game engine ages a player who has remained as good as Pat has in his late thirties and, now, his early forties. But, on the other hand, it would be awfully tough to watch Pat stink up the joint.
I have a couple of possible story lines in mind, regardless of which choice I make, so it will be fun either way.