Shawn Green isn’t an old man by any stretch of the imagination. But at 38 he might be considered a bit long in the tooth for a professional baseball player. Green retired from the sport early in 2008 when he was 35, but is now having second thoughts about that decision.
He’s been back in the headlines recently with the release of his new book called “The Way of Baseball: Finding Stillness at 95 MPH,” and it’s obvious his love for the game hasn’t waned. Green’s name might not be too familiar with the casual baseball fan, but he enjoyed a fine 15-year career in the big leagues with the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and New York Mets. He finished it with a total of 328 home runs, 1,070, RBI and a batting average of .283.
Green said he just felt it was time to take a break back in 2008 as he wanted to spend more time with his family. He had a decent season in 2007 with the Mets and proved he could still hit with a .291 average to go along with 10 homers and 46 RBI. In fact, he admitted that if he was still playing close to home in California back then he probably wouldn’t have retired.
After sitting out for two years Green said he received an offer last season, but after giving it some thought decided the location of the club wasn’t the best for his family. That doesn’t mean he’s closed the book on a comeback though as he realizes if he combines his natural ability with hard work and the proper mental approach he could still be successful in the Majors today. But Green recently told MLB.com that he isn’t out there looking for a job. He said he would definitely listen to offers though if any come his way.
Green’s new book reveals some interesting incidents during his career, but he said his biggest test came in 2000 when he was signed by the Dodgers to one of the league’s biggest contracts. He said the Dodgers were basically his hometown team and he suddenly realized he was the new face of the franchise. He managed to crank 24 homers that season, but it was 18 less than he hit with Toronto the year before.
Green said he was trying to prove he was worth the money he was getting paid by going for power instead of staying with his natural swing. He visited Japan after his first season in LA and regained his touch. When he got back to America he hit 49 homers and 125 RBI in 2001 and followed that up with 42 home runs and 114 RBI the next season. He entered the record books during a game in Milwaukee in May of 2002 when he hammered four home runs and had 19 total bases while going six for six at the plate.
Even though he’s been out of the pro game for a few years Green finds himself involved in the sport as he often teaches hitting to youngsters. It’s plain to see that Green’s heart is still in baseball and he might grace a Major League ball diamond once again if he receives the right offer.
