Posey announces retirement

*Photo from Mercury News*

   All of a sudden, the best catcher in the history of the San Francisco Giants walked away from the game, even after posting one of the best seasons in a fantastic career. Giants catcher Buster Posey has announced his retirement after 12 seasons, first reported by Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. The Giants were planning to exercise the $22 million option on Posey for 2022, but he instead retired.

   Posey said in a retirement press conference that "I kind of went into this last season feeling like it might be my last. I just gave myself some space in my mind to be OK with deciding otherwise if I wanted to keep playing. I just never really wavered. I think it really allowed me to really, really empty the tank this year like I never have before."

   Last season, after returning to the Giants after he opted out of the 2020 season due to Covid-19 concerns, Posey just put together one of the best seasons of his 12 year career. How good was it you ask? Posey hit to a .304 average and a .889 OPS, mashing 18 home runs and driving in 56 runs, playing in 113 regular season games in 2021 for the Giants, who won 107 games and had the best record in baseball.

   In 12 seasons in the big leagues, 10 of them full seasons, Posey has a lifetime .302 average with a .831 OPS, hitting 158 home runs and posting 729 RBI's, playing in 1,371 regular season games with the Giants. In 58 career playoff games, Posey has a .252 average with a .667 OPS, hitting 5 homers and driving in 25 runs, split across 5 seasons in the playoffs.

   Posey talked about his decision to retire, saying that "The reason I’m retiring is I want to be able to do more stuff from February to November with my family. Physically, it’s much harder now, and to be honest, it’s hard to enjoy it as much when there’s physical pain that you’re dealing with on a daily basis."

   Posey, who won the 2021 Sporting News NL comeback player of the year, hangs up his cleats with plenty of hardware in his trophy case. He won 3 titles with the Giants, in 2010, 2012, and 2014. He won the NL Rookie of the Year in 2010. He won the NL MVP in 2012. He has won 4 silver sluggers, and is a finalist to win a 5th this season. He also has one gold glove, and won the 2012 NL batting title. He also has made the all star game 7 times.

   In his career, Posey also forced some rule changes across baseball. On May 25, 2011, Scott Cousins of the Marlins ran over Posey at home plate in the 12th inning while attempting to score, which left Posey with a broken bone in his left leg, and 3 torn ligaments in his left ankle. That forced a rule change that ended collisions like that at the plate.

   Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi told Posey in the press conference that "The reality of a future without you and your family and how much you meant to us at least on the field has been something for us to all digest. Even with that mixed feeling is a sense of overwhelming gratitude for everything you’ve meant to this organization."