After a long and fruitful career, lefty Al Leiter is calling it quits today's pre-season game vs. the Indians. He was fan favorite who played for both the Yanks and Mets.
Leiter pitched for 19 years, amassing a career record of 162-132. Leiter began his career with the Yankees in 1987 before moving on to the Blue Jays, Marlins and Mets before second stints with the Marlins and Yankees.
Leiter was given up for dead after a disastrous return to the Marlins last season. He was re-acquired on short notice by the Yankees and pitched a clutch game beating the Red Sox. From that point on, he showed inconsistent stuff, but was the lefty specialist for Joe Torre in the playoffs. He shocked many when he decided to make a go at the club this season.
I was hoping for his retirement this year. I hate it when players play beyond their usefulness, and this late in his career, Leiter was terribly inconsistent. When he was good, he was very good, but those days were fewer and farther between. He always had nasty stuff and was a fierce competitor . Leiter was the Met one pitcher who made me nervous during the Subway Series. I was glad to see him back in pinstripes as he came in to staunch the bleeding after our starting rotation was devastated by injuries. It seems only fitting that his career began as it ended, in Yankee pinstripes.