Mike Cameron retires as a Seattle Mariner

One of the more popular and personable players in MLB history, centerfielder Mike Cameron retired yesterday after he threw out the ceremonial first pitch in Seattle.

Officially retiring from baseball in February of this year, this week he decided he wanted to go out as a Mariner. There wasn’t enough time for Cameron to get the paperwork in to retire as a player in the Seattle organization so he signed a one-day “employee services agreement” with the Mariners, threw out the first pitch on Friday and then announced he’d be retiring as a Mariner.

Cameron’s four years in Seattle were the highlight of his 17-year Major League career.  Traded there from Cincinnati in a multi-player deal that sent Ken Griffey Jr back to the Reds, he played 610 of his 1955 games with the Mariners.  He also was elected to the All-Star team while in Seattle in 2001 and won two out of his three Gold Gloves with the Mariners.

He signed with the Boston Red Sox in December of 2009 but only played in 81 games over the two seasons he was with the team, mostly because of a groin injury he suffered early in 2010. Even with his limited play, he because a very popular player both in the clubhouse and with the fans and media. The Red Sox designated him for assignment in July 2011.

(Originally published on Examiner.com)