San Francisco Giants' Jeremy Affeldt announces retirement

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Jeremy Affeldt has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2015 season, ending a career that spanned 14 years and four teams. The veteran left-hander detailed his decision and reflected on his experiences (along with several things he won’t miss about the game) in a piece for Sports Illustrated.

Affeldt made his major league debut in 2002 with the Kansas City Royals. He worked out of both the rotation and bullpen during his first few seasons before becoming a reliever full-time. In the middle of the 2006 season he was traded to the Colorado Rockies. He spent one more season there before joining the Cincinnati Reds on a one-year deal in 2008.

He signed with the Giants prior to the 2009 campaign and would remain in San Francisco for seven years until his retirement. It was there that Affeldt enjoyed many of his best seasons and made frequent playoff appearances, a stage on which he thrived.

2009 would prove to be a career year for Affeldt. He posted a 1.73 ERA over 62.1 innings, allowing 42 hits (including just three homers) and striking out 55. He boasted a 28-inning scoreless streak from May 8 to July 24 and was named the This Year in Baseball Setup Man of the Year at the end of the season. He even received some MVP consideration, nabbing a vote in the NL race.

Affeldt would go on to win three World Series championships with the Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014. He played a vital role on each of those title-earning squads and will finish his career with a sterling 0.86 ERA in 31.1 postseason innings.

The 2015 campaign has been much more of a struggle for the 36-year-old Affeldt, though. He has tossed 34 frames this season to the tune of a 6.09 ERA, his highest since 2006 when he put up a 6.20 mark. His performance likely factored into his decision to call it a career, as well as a cited desire to spend more time with his family.

Affeldt’s has certainly never been the flashiest or most prominent name in the MLB news-sphere, but he has quietly been one of the more reliable relief arms in the game for the past decade. He’s a good reminder that you don’t have to be a superstar to have long-term staying power in the league.

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