Los Angeles Angels All-Time Great Garret Anderson Quietly Retires From Baseball

In his 15 seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Garret Anderson was the unassuming leader of a team that won its first-ever World Series title during his tenure.

Now Anderson has extinguished the flame on his great baseball career.

In an announcement made Tuesday morning, Garret Anderson, who is the all-time leader in games played, hits, doubles, total bases, runs, extra-base hits and runs batted in for the Angels, announced his retirement after a 17-year career.

Anderson, who finished his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, averaged 30 home runs and 120 runs batted in over a four-year span beginning in 2000, and was the driving force for the Angels during their 2002 World Series victory.

In a statement released through the Los Angeles Angels, Anderson said, "It is with mixed emotions that I have decided to retire from baseball. I know I will miss many aspects of the game, the grind of playing every day, hitting with the game on the line, the clubhouse banter, making a good defensive play, the guys, the roar of the crowd after a win, and the friendships made throughout the years."

Anderson kept a very low profile during most of his career with the Angels, preferring to let his actions speak for him.

But for Angels manager Mike Scioscia, no one played the game in an Angels uniform better than Anderson.

"Garret was an incredible player, one with a calm demeanor and quiet confidence that allowed him to excel in this game," Scioscia told MLB.com.

"Garret's role in where the Angels organization is today cannot be overstated. He had a tremendous passion to play this game and a deep understanding of how to play to win and that was very important to this organization. We wish him and his family nothing but the best as he begins the next chapter of his life."

Anderson left his mark on the baseball world during the 2003 MLB All-Star Game in Chicago, where he won the Home Run Derby and then capped off his All-Star appearance that year with the MVP award, leading the American League to a 7-6 victory and coming just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.

Garret Anderson may have been quiet by nature, but the loudness of his actions on the baseball spoke volumes for him.

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