Brandon Crawford retires after 14 MLB seasons and two World Series titles

SAN FRANCISCO — Brandon Crawford is retiring after 14 major league seasons, all but one of those played with his hometown San Francisco Giants as a slick-fielding shortstop and fan favorite.A four-time Gold Glove winner and three-time All-Star, the veteran infielder announced his decision in an Instagram post Wednesday.“During this time of the year, I am constantly being reminded of the things in my life that I am most thankful for.Baseball is one of them,” Crawford wrote.

“Baseball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and for the rest of my life I will be thankful for the opportunities and experiences it has given me.Time is precious.

I’m incredibly grateful for all the years I spent playing the game I love, but now it is time for me to spend it with the people who I’m most thankful for.Thank you to all of you who have been there for me throughout the years.

It’s been an unbelievable ride.”A fourth-round draft pick in 2008 out of UCLA, Crawford made his debut on May 27, 2011, and won World Series championships with the Giants in 2012 and ’14 — the final two titles in their every-other-year run from 2010-14.“Congrats to Craw on his outstanding career,” former Giants manager Bruce Bochy, now with Texas, said via text message.“Just a wonderful story of a kid becoming one of the best shortstops in the history of the San Francisco Giants, the team he grew up with and loved.”The Giants said they will honor Crawford’s career April 26 at Oracle Park.

He was a career .249 hitter with 147 home runs and 748 RBIs, but his knack for making the key defensive play is what he will long be remembered for by many.“It was an honor to get to know Brandon as a friend and as a teammate,” new Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey said in a statement.”From the first day we were both drafted in 2008 to our final year playing together in 2021, it was an honor to play alongside him for 14 years.

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