Friday, Dec. 5, 2008 | 3:25 p.m.
Longtime Las Vegas resident Greg Maddux confirmed Friday afternoon that he will announce his retirement Monday at the Bellagio.
Reached at a baseball tournament in which his son, Chase, was playing in Lake Havasu, Ariz., Maddux said it was an easy decision.
“I’m 42, and I have two kids and a wife,” he said. “Those are really the only reasons. I’m getting too old, and my kids are getting too old. It’s a combination of those two.”
The Valley High graduate said he “was under advisement” to remain hush about the announcement, but he confirmed the arrangements.
“You know, just to let everyone know that I’m shutting it down,” he said.
Major League’s Baseball’s winter meetings are in Las Vegas for the first time this weekend, so that makes it convenient for such an announcement.
The office of Scott Boras, Maddux’s agent, confirmed that he will retire through the Associated Press.
With 355 career victories, Maddux finished a win ahead of Roger Clemens.
Maddux becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame, where he is considered a shoo-in first-time candidate, in 2013.
An eight-time All-Star, Maddux went 355-227 for the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
He won a record 18 Gold Gloves, for defensive prowess at his position.
His last victory was against San Francisco – the victim in his 300th career victory – when he yielded a run and two hits in six innings of a 2-1 victory for the Dodgers.
“In all honesty,” Maddux said after that game, “I have felt this game has given me more than I ever thought it would.”
No doubt Maddux will retreat to his Spanish Trail home and work on his chipping and putting, and try to lower his golf handicap.
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