Yankees News: Bernie Williams to Formerly Retire from Baseball

Former Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams has finally decided to formerly retire from the game of baseball. The announcement will be made as part of a ceremony that will occur at Yankee stadium on Friday night prior to the Yankees opening game v. the New York Mets.

Bernie, who will turn 47 in September, last played in the MLB on October 1, 2006 and was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2011,but that’s rather here nor there. What matter’s is that Bernie William’s has finally decided to make it official.

Bernie ‘Burn Baby Burn’ Williams played his entire 16-year career with the New York Yankees and was their starting center fielder during their incredible run of four World Series titles in five seasons from 1996-2000. In my opinion, Williams is undoubtedly just as much a member of the ‘Core Four’ as Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera, but I guess the only reason why he wasn’t was because he was a couple years older and wasn’t really a part of their youth movement at the time.

Anyway, in his 16 big league seasons and 2,076 career games played with the Yankees, Williams batted a career .297, and currently ranks third in team history in doubles (449), fifth in hits (2,336), sixth in games played and runs scored (1,366) and seventh in home runs (287) and RBIs (1,257). He made five straight American League All-Star appearances from 1997-2001 and won four straight Gold Glove’s between 1997 and 2000. He won the American League batting title in 1998 with an incredible .339 batting average.

Similar to the aforementioned ‘Core Four’, the playoffs was where Bernie shined. As a matter of fact, Bernie Williams is the Yankees’ all-time postseason leader in home runs (22) and RBIs (80). He also ranks second in playoff runs scored (83), hits (128) and doubles (29) and is third in games played (121).

He was awarded the 1996 ALCS MVP after batting .474 with 6 runs, 2 homers and 6 RBIs in the Yankees’ series win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Williams will conclude the ceremonies on Friday by throwing out the first pitch before the game with the Mets. Who knows, maybe Jorge Posada will be behind the plate to catch it?

Enjoy the ceremony Bernie, it’s long overdue!

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