Breaking News: Steve Karsay Announces Retirement

by louismg on Jun 18, 2006 3:43 PM PDT in News

Just one day after pitching the last two scoreless innings of the A's 17-inning victory against the Dodgers and earning the win, it has been announced that Steve Karsay has announced his retirement, after having been with the club for approximately one month. Karsay appeared in 9 games since re-joining the Athletics, going 1-0 with a 5.79 ERA. For his career, Karsay ends with a record of 32-39, and a 4.01 ERA.

For me, my memories of Karsay hail back to the mid 1990s, when he was one of the better pitchers one some very questionable A's teams. In fact, in 1997, he had a record of 3-12, and a 5.77 ERA, but led the team in starts, with 24, and strikeouts, with 92. As an A's fan, he was just about the only guy who could dominate on MLB 98 on the Sony Playstation. I, with significant bias, started him nearly every game I played, and he always gave us a great chance to win.

As was said on KICU 36 after today's victory, we wish him the best in his second life, after baseball.

Karsay's Career Stats: ESPN | Yahoo!
MLB.com: Karsay's Reward Offer Pays Off

Official Press Release: A's Reliever Karsay Announces Retirement

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why so sudden?

kinda weird isn't it? well at least he got the sweet 17 inning winning decision. Best of luck Steve, thanks for your service to the A's.

by mrod on Jun 18, 2006 3:54 PM PDT reply actions

best of luck in your post-baseball life, steve!!

by gotgreen on Jun 18, 2006 3:55 PM PDT reply actions

re

good luck as Michael Chiklis's stunt double. Nice career, seriously.

by 31Boots on Jun 18, 2006 3:56 PM PDT reply actions

Darn

on two fronts:

I was about to post a diary
he was a nice piece to have in the bullpen.

It was nice to see his career come full circle. Best of luck, Steve.

by noava22 on Jun 18, 2006 3:56 PM PDT reply actions

Best of Luck to Him

I'm glad his last game was a win. And he leaves as an A.

The Season's Here!!! The Season's Here!!!

by angus hanger on Jun 18, 2006 4:01 PM PDT reply actions

Buena Suerte, Steve...

I remember when the A's traded Rickey for him in '93. I was pretty excited, even though Rickey was and remains my all time favorite player. Even though Karsay never really lived up to the ridiculous hype, he had a fine career. Class guy, I wish him all the best.

by Aaron C on Jun 18, 2006 4:08 PM PDT reply actions

I remember when he first came up with the A's

He was so young, so cute, and has this adorable smile...wow, it was enough to make the teenage me melt to the floor...

Best of luck in retirement Steve!

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Jun 18, 2006 4:12 PM PDT reply actions

very cool

He wanted to win one more game where it all began for him, and he did... win one of the more memorable games of this A's era.

Best of luck to Steve in his next phase!

1972...1973...1974...1989...2006

by emperor nobody on Jun 18, 2006 4:14 PM PDT reply actions

A sad day...

After having witnessed the A's 17 inning win last night, and been so pleased with Karsay's two innings of work, it was really a shock to hear his retirement announced at the end of the TV broadcast today. He pitched great last night, and I'd hoped we might see a bit more of the Karsey of old.

I clearly remember the Rickey Henderson-to-Toronto trade that brought Karsay to Oakland in the first place, and have kept an eye on his injury-marred journey through the majors. A great guy with great stuff who just could never seem to stay healthy for more than a season at a time. But he stuck with it when others would have given up, and he gave the A's one more win.

Thanks for some wonderful memories Steve. You're a class act.

by andyinfremont on Jun 18, 2006 4:16 PM PDT reply actions

Colorado

I've heard of how some pitchers are not that happy about a road trip to Colorado but this is a little drastic!

Couldn't he wait 'til Duke is activated on Friday?

by Larry E on Jun 18, 2006 4:22 PM PDT reply actions

Now it all makes sense--

Karsay was just hanging on until he could pick up that milestone 32nd career win.

by Nico on Jun 18, 2006 4:31 PM PDT reply actions

well...

it is the number on his back. and the age in which he probably should have quit.

by DMOAS on Jun 18, 2006 4:41 PM PDT up reply actions

karsay on extra innings w/ buan right now

by gotgreen on Jun 18, 2006 4:38 PM PDT reply actions

Synopsis please

by Larry E on Jun 18, 2006 4:40 PM PDT up reply actions

wow...

My eyes are watering at this stuff:

I started my career with the A's in 1993, and I won that game. I ended my career with the A's in 2006, and won that game. I started my career with a strikeout, and ended my career with a strikeout.

Robert Buan says that it's great how Karsay's career has come full circle.

by high street on Jun 18, 2006 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions

...When it looked,

for a while, like it would just come full circle the bases.

by Nico on Jun 18, 2006 4:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Best of Luck, Steve

As my first favorite player, or my first great hope for pitching relief...its tough to say Steve retire, especially after he looked alright last night. On the baseball front, the Sauerbeck addition looks a little better.

by SeanR on Jun 18, 2006 4:40 PM PDT reply actions

What a way to go out.

I don't blame him if he felt like there wouldn't be a better way to end his career. It's got to be great going out with a solid performance and a big smile.

Best of luck in the future, Karsay.

Kettlecorn! Swishercorn!

by TurnTwo on Jun 18, 2006 4:42 PM PDT reply actions

aw...

Steve Karsay: That was something special last night

It sure was, Steve. Thanks, and good luck to you.

by high street on Jun 18, 2006 4:46 PM PDT reply actions

Let the record reflect

From last night's game thread, after Karsay's first inning pitched:

http://www.athleticsnation.com/comments/2006/6/18/11532/1225/173#173

Better luck is just a standard deviation away.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jun 18, 2006 4:51 PM PDT reply actions

You'd look more prescient

if you had said, "He has a somewhat retiring look about him."

by Nico on Jun 18, 2006 4:54 PM PDT up reply actions

It makes me seem less prescient

I thought for sure, he'd figure out a way to give up the first walk-off homerun to a visiting team. I really had my hopes up when I foresaw myself waking up in the morning... then then he had to go and prove me wrong. Seriously, some nerve that guy has, winning the game by pitching great.

by DMOAS on Jun 18, 2006 5:05 PM PDT up reply actions

here's some stuff that karsay said

- Karsay said he never fully recovered from the shoulder surgeries and he didn't think he could be consistent. He said only being able to pitch once every four day or so is not enough to be a relief pitcher because they need to be available every day.

- Caller asked Karsay if he has explored the possibility of sticking around with the A's organization like some of the other retired A's players. He said he is definitely open to that possibility and will talk to Billy about it. He is thankful to the A's for trading for him at the start of his career and also for giving him the opportunity to pitch for them again this season.

- If he didn't get the win yesterday, today will still be the day he retired. He talked to Billy on Friday about retiring and Billy asked him to stick around for the Dodgers series.

- He said if you get the opportunity to play in the playoffs, savor every moment of it because you might get there one year and never get back there during the rest of your career.

by gotgreen on Jun 18, 2006 5:03 PM PDT reply actions

wow

Thats a pretty awesome way to go out, then. I guess he was going to stay in til the end of the game, no matter what...

by SeanR on Jun 18, 2006 5:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Will Saurbeck replace Karsay in the pen?

by Zonis on Jun 18, 2006 5:08 PM PDT reply actions

Official Press Release Posted

Find it here: A's reliever Karsay announces retirement

More ANtics: http://www.louisgray.com/live/ | Archive

by louismg on Jun 18, 2006 5:09 PM PDT reply actions

Good Luck with everything Steve

Very sad to see you go, but extrememly happy you are going out on your own terms, and under such great conditions!

Thanks for one last spin last night! You were awesome!

**WRITE SWISHER IN LF & 1B 2006 ALL STAR VOTING**

by Swisherfor05ROY on Jun 18, 2006 5:50 PM PDT reply actions

wow

just made a diary about Karsay retiring then saw this... I need to get glasses. haha.

Good luck Steve! Way to go out with a bang!

Oakrand.

by ConditionOakland on Jun 18, 2006 6:22 PM PDT reply actions

It has to be pretty nice to call your shot,

...best wishes always and thanks.

"A 15 run margin after 68 games really puts a burden on entering the playoffs rested"

by A s Eh on Jun 18, 2006 6:36 PM PDT reply actions

Steve....

Thanks for the memories, the "live" arm and starting and now finishing your career in Green and Gold.

You will be missed and remembered.

Now THIS is Billy Ball

by Masaryk on Jun 18, 2006 7:11 PM PDT reply actions

What's it mean?

What does the MLB.com headline mean?
MLB.com: Karsay's Reward Offer Pays Off

Green eyes come from yellow flecks of fatty pigment on a dark background. Some men think a green-eyed woman is exotic. The truth is she's got fat eyes.

by Furious George on Jun 18, 2006 8:02 PM PDT reply actions

I'm assuming

it is referring to the fact that he was going to pay whoever got the winning RBI.

"I never saw a hooligan I did like. They're like left-handed pitchers, they all have a screw loose somewhere." - The Asphalt Jungle

by drmmerchk on Jun 18, 2006 8:10 PM PDT up reply actions

saturday night

After the 16th inning, he came back and told the team that if someone could go and get the RBI to win the game, he'd pay them (reportedly) $1000. Crosby's getting a nice payday.

btw, Karsay got to keep the game ball from last night.

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Jun 18, 2006 10:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Karsay pulls a George Costanza

going out on top. "Thank you, everybody, that's it for me."

Seriously, good luck with everything Steve. Nice bookends on a career that should've been more but would be something A's fans will still remember.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Jun 18, 2006 8:44 PM PDT reply actions

Sorry to see Karsay go.

From what I have read, he was beneficial to getting Huston back on track. Thanks for everything Steve and good luck.

hookem street

by hookem street on Jun 18, 2006 10:20 PM PDT reply actions

Good luck to Karsay.

Man. It's a hell of a thing, to go out with a game like that -- it's nice that he got the chance to have a stellar moment in the sun in that epic, to get that final notch for his career.

It was nice having him in the 'pen, great to have a familiar name back. Hopefully, he'll stick in the game somehow. Hell, having him stay with the org would be nice. I just hope he's happy, whatever he does.

Hmm... Maybe this is a sign.... KARSAY FOR TRAINER.

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on Jun 18, 2006 10:33 PM PDT reply actions

Classy guy, going out on top!

Thanks for everything, Steve! I hope he stays with the team as bullpen coach. That would be nice.

by A'sfansince1970 on Jun 18, 2006 10:37 PM PDT reply actions

Oh, and

if we read in the paper tomorrow that he, like, handed Billy Beane a baseball with 'For the love of the game' written on it or something, I'm gonna start bawling.

Can the A's hire him to be Huston's friend?

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on Jun 18, 2006 11:01 PM PDT reply actions