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SPORTS Wednesday 21 november 2018

Rangers' Adrian Beltre retires after 21 seasons, 3,166 hits

ton Red Sox in 2010. He this season, when he went Michael Young, now a spe-
joined the Rangers on a on the disabled list twice cial assistant to the general
$96 million, six-year free because of an ailing left manager, was the Rang-
agent deal in 2011, and hamstring issues that also ers third baseman before
appeared in his only World bothered him at the end of Beltre joined the team.
Series in his first season with the 2017 season. Young then became a util-
Texas. He got his 3,000th career ity infielder and designated
“As much fun as people hit on July 30, 2017, the 31st hitter and is still the career
see us having at the ball- major leaguer to reach leader for games played
park all of the time, and that milestone. and hits by a Rangers play-
playing around, I haven’t “To all my fans in the Domin- er.
met somebody that was ican Republic, the United “I knew he was good de-
more detailed about the States and Latin America, fensively, I didn’t know he
game than him,” Rangers my sincerest THANK YOU was this good. I knew he
shortstop Elvis Andrus said. for your continuous support could hit, I didn’t know he
“That is something that throughout my career,” could hit like that. I knew
stood out to me, some- Beltre wrote. “While I will he was tough, I didn’t know
thing I learned from watch- forever cherish the mem- he was that tough,” Young
ing him and playing next ories from my time play- said Tuesday.
to him the last eight years. ing the greatest game on “I could just pretty much go
He’s going to be missed for earth, I am excited to be- on, all of the things I knew
sure. It’s going to be differ- come a fulltime husband about him, he was just bet-
ent.” and father, and I am ready ter in pretty much in every
Beltre hit .273 with 15 hom- to take on the next chapter possibly way I could have
ers and 65 RBIs in 119 games of my life.” imagined.”"q

This is a 2018 file photo showing Adrian Beltre of the Texas
Rangers baseball team. Beltre has decided to retire after 21
seasons and 3,166 hits in the majors leagues.
Associated Press
By STEPHEN HAWKINS rank 16th on baseball’s
AP Sports Writer career list, with his homers
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — total 30th and RBIs 24th.
Adrian Beltre of the Texas He played 2,759 games
Rangers retired Tuesday at third base — only Hall
after 21 seasons in a career of Famer Brooks Robinson
in which he hit 477 home had more.
runs and became the first The four-time All-Star and
player from the Dominican five-time Gold Glove win-
Republic to have 3,000 hits. ner was 19 when he made
The 39-year-old third base- his big league debut with
man announced his de- the Dodgers in 1998. He will
cision in a statement re- be eligible to be on the Hall
leased by the Rangers, say- of Fame ballot in five years.
ing it is time for the “next In his statement, Beltre
chapter of my life.” thanked former Dodgers
“After careful consider- manager Tommy Lasorda,
ation and many sleepless then the team’s interim
nights, I have made the general manager, for “be-
decision to retire from what lieving in this young kid from
I’ve been doing my whole the Dominican Republic
life, which is playing base- when others thought I was
ball, the game I love,” Bel- too young to be called up”
tre said. “I have thought to the majors. Beltre was
about it a lot and although only 15 when he first signed
I appreciate all the oppor- with the Dodgers as an
tunities and everything that amateur free agent in July
baseball has given me, it’s 1994.
time to call it a career.” Beltre played with Los An-
Beltre was a .286 hitter geles until 2004, then was
with 1,707 RBIs in 2,933 ca- with the Seattle Mariners
reer games. His 3,166 hits from 2005-09 and the Bos-