Royals pitcher Gil Meche leaves 12M and retires... (1 Viewer)

[biggamer3]

Never seen an athlete leave this much guaranteed money while still under contract. I guess all stars who retired young like Barry Sanders and Jordan can go in this boat but they werent under contract. He easily could have just dogged it this season and still made the money but dude got some real stones to walk away.

http://www.sportsrageous.com/gil-meche-lea...able-01-20-2011

In 2007, the Kansas City Royals signed pitcher Gil Meche to a five-year, $55 million contact that sent question marks throughout Major League Baseball. Meche announced his retirement on Wednesday, with one year and $12 million left on his contract.

The right-hander only pitched 61 innings in nine starts last year. He began having shoulder issues during the 2009 season.

In a statement released by the Royals, Meche said, “My shoulder has deteriorated to the point where surgery would be the only option. And at this stage of my life, I prefer to call it a career rather than to attempt to pitch in relief for the final year of my contract.”

All Gil had to do was spend the season on the disabled list and he would have received the $12 million he was owed. Meche said, “Remaining on roster was not the right thing to do.”

The one-time All-Star spent 10 seasons with the Royals and Seattle Mariners. He compiled a record of 84 wins and 83 losses, with a career 4.49 ERA.

 

[the moops]

It is shocking.

12 million is about 1/4 of his lifetime earnings.

 

[Michael Brown]

I thought Ryne Sandberg did this too

 

[Truman]

It is shocking.12 million is about 1/4 of his lifetime earnings.

So he's got ~$50 million? I think he'll be okay.

 

[CrossEyed]

Good for him.

 

[TommyGilmore]

I remember when Meche was having major injury issues with Seattle in 2000 and 2001. He and Ryan "Little Unit" Anderson were supposed to be the saviors of that franchise, but there were serious doubts whether either one of them would ever see the field again. Meche made it, Anderson didn't.

I still think the Mariners would have won the World Series in 2001 if Meche and Anderson had been healthy.

Anyway, good for Gil for doing the right thing.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

Good for him.

Though it's easier to do the right thing when you have 50 million sitting in the bank. It's not like he's broke and is giving up the 12 million.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I would rather he gave it to me.

 

[thetman]

Wow, most guys would just DL it all year and collect the cash.

 

[Daywalker]

Guy is an idiot. At least suggest a buyout.