Ken Griffey Jr. retires

SEATTLE - The Kid has called it quits.

Just the way Ken Griffey Jr. wanted, there will be no farewell tour for one of the greatest players in baseball history. Instead, Griffey simply informed the Seattle Mariners last night his career was over.

The 40-year-old Griffey unexpectedly announced his retirement before Seattle's game against Minnesota after 22 seasons, 13 All-Star appearances and widespread acclaim as one of the greatest players of his generation.

Stuck in a limited role as a backup designated hitter and spot pinch hitter, Griffey called Mariners team president Chuck Armstrong and said he was done playing. Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu called his players together before the start of batting practice to inform them of Griffey's decision.

"While I feel I am still able to make a contribution on the field and nobody in the Mariners' front office has asked me to retire, I told the Mariners when I met with them prior to the 2009 season and was invited back that I will never allow myself to become a distraction," Griffey said in a statement.

"I feel that without enough occasional starts to be sharper coming off the bench, my continued presence as a player would be an unfair distraction to my teammates and their success as a team is what the ultimate goal should be," he said.

Griffey was not in the clubhouse before the game, and the team said he would not be at Safeco Field.

Milton Bradley, Griffey's teammate for only a few months, turned to Mike Sweeney during batting practice and said, "On a day like this, it should rain in Seattle."

Griffey was hitting only .184 with no homers and seven RBIs this year and recently went a week without playing. There was a report earlier this season - which Griffey denied - that he'd fallen asleep in the clubhouse during a game.

He ends his career fifth on the all-time home run list with 630.

He won an MVP award and was an 11-time Gold Glover. The only thing missing on his resume was a trip to the World Series.