There hasn't been much news from Mike Mussina since the end of the season, and until there is, Brian Cashman is taking the silence as an indication that he's done. Cashman spoke to reporters yesterday:
"[Mussina's] not made a decision either way that I'm aware of. He may have made one, though. Moving forward he's not part of our rotation because he's a free agent. We don't have him signed. ... I'm not counting on him right now. I don't know if he's even interested in playing any more."
That said, things might change soon. Arm Tellum, Mussina's agent, is headed to Mussina's hometown in Pennsylvania to pick his client's brain. From the New York Post:
"I am going to see him at the end of the week," Mussina's agent said yesterday. "Nothing has been decided."
While Mussina strongly hinted to Yankee staff members and friends he was going to retire, he hasn't officially done that. And while that is the way to bet, several Yankee officials believe the 40-year-old righty will file for free agency following the World Series to keep his options open.
Even if Moose files for free agency, I can't imagine that he'd want to fininish his career with a one-year stint on another team. (And as much as some fans in Baltimore might yearn for a "prodigal son comes home" story, that's not going to happen, either.) Mussina just completed a phenomenal season, winning 20 games for the first time in his career while posting his lowest ERA since his first year in New York in 2001.
Sure, there's a certain appeal to ending your career not only on your own terms but also on a highnote (at least from an individual perspective), but it's also hard to turn down a potential eight-figure contract, as well as bolstering his chances for a the Hall of Fame. Whatever Moose decides, I won't be surprised.
Mike Mussina May Decide His Future Soon originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on 2008-10-29T14:55:00 00:00. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
