SAN FRANCISCO – Jeremy Affeldt announced his retirement on Thursday in an emotional, reflective, and at times hilarious news conference that lasted almost a half-hour.
It was all grace, gratitude and gravitas.
Affeldt almost walked away from the game after the All-Star break. He detailed the conversations with Bruce Bochy and Buster Posey that changed his mind. He also talked about an emotional exchange with his 8-year-old son, Walker. He broke down in tears once, reflecting on how much his teammates (including one in particular) meant to him.
And he spoke of how he arrived in San Francisco seven years ago with a judgmental soul and leaves with far more than three glittering World Series rings.