It is finally over. The last active Montreal Expos draft pick has decided to call it a career, riding off into the sunset after another successful season, one that makes one think that he could play for a few more years. But the players know their bodies better than anyone, and not every player wants to die in their uniform.
Add Tom Brady to that list. After his retirement had been prematurely reported days ago, Brady made it official on Tuesday morning, hanging up his cleats for the final time.
Montreal Expos draft pick Tom Brady officially retires
Brady is not the last Expos draft pick to retire. Ian Desmond would still have that distinction. However, as he has not set foot on the diamond since 2019, and Rockies fans may claim he was not really an active player since he signed that five year deal prior to the 2017 season, Brady is the last active player to hang up the cleats.
It has been a remarkable career. An 18th round selection in the 1995 MLB Draft, Brady did not let that lowly selection define who he was as a player. He battled and worked, becoming a superstar as he completely rewrote the record books.
Brady was far more than a statistical marvel. He was a winner, reaching the championship ten times in his 22 years in the league, winning seven titles. In fact, Brady only had three seasons where he did not reach the postseason, one coming as a rookie and a second when he was injured in the first game of the year.
Typically, the Expos are thought of as a team that was mired in mediocrity. Even when they managed to be on the cusp of contending for a title, the season would be derailed, with strikes in 1981 and 1994. But the Expos can be remembered for something else – drafting one of the greatest sports figures of all time.
The last active draft pick for the Montreal Expos is calling it a career. If nothing else, the Expos can say they drafted the greatest of all time.