, who had a solid career over 14 seasons with the Royals, Rockies, Reds and Giants, is retiring at age 36. Upon announcing his retirement, he wrote a piece for Sports Illustrated listing the five things he won’t miss about baseball.
Among those: Philadelphia.
He wrote:
“Philly is a great sports town, with passionate fans and a palpable energy. The problem, though, is that the city, more than any other I’ve played in, seems to condone and almost revel in its fans crossing the line. Nowhere else in this country—again, based on my experience as a 14-year major leaguer and the conversations I’ve had with other players—is the opposition treated in such a repeatedly vile and borderline threatening manner.