Jered Weaver, who once left 'millions and millions' on the table, announces retirement
Jered Weaver, a 150-game winner and three-time All-Star with the Los Angeles Angels, announced his retirement on Wednesday.
Weaver, 34, finished his career a San Diego Padre, but was 0-5 with a 7.44 ERA in nine starts before going on the disabled list with a hip injury. In a statement announcing his retirement, he said "my body will just not allow me to compete the way I want to."
He exits with significant points on his resume: A 150-98 career record and 3.63 ERA, a 20-win season in 2012 and a no-hitter that same year against the Minnesota Twins.
Weaver, a relatively free spirit, also was noted for signing a five-year, $85 million contract extension in 2011, against the wishes of longtime agent Scott Boras, who told Paste BN Sports that Weaver cost himself "millions and millions of dollars."
"How much more money do you need?" Weaver said at a news conference after his signing. "I've never played this game for money. I play it for love and for championships. There comes a point in time when you do have to deal with the business side of things, but I don't think money had anything to do with my decision. I could have gotten more, whatever, who cares? I'm here, and that's all I care about. It's the way I was brought up.
"If $85 million is not enough to take care of my family and other generations of my family, then you're stupid."
Weaver ranks third in career Wins Above Replacement for Angels pitchers, behind Chuck Finley and Nolan Ryan, and is second only to Finley in wins.
Weaver always got by on superior command and a beguiling curveball. Yet eventually, as his velocity fell out of the 90-mph range and further into the 80s, opposing hitters began peppering him.
In 2012, Weaver led the American League in walks and hits per innings pitched (1.02), but that number rose in each of his last five seasons, hitting 1.46 in 2016.
Still, armed with a fastball that averaged a mere 84 mph, Weaver pitched 178 innings and produced a .500 record (10-10), despite giving up a major league-high 37 home runs and yielding a 5.06 ERA.
He finishes his career with three top-five Cy Young Award finishes, including a runner-up showing to Justin Verlander in 2011.
GALLERY: MLB photo of the day