BICHETTE CALLS IT A CAREER.Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer VERO BEACH Vero Beach (vēr`o), city (1990 pop. 17,350), seat of Indian River co., E Fla., on Indian River (a lagoon and part of the Intracoastal Waterway); founded c.1888, inc. 1919. , Fla. - Outfielder Dante Bichette He began his career with the California Angels in 1988 but was a streaky hitter and was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1991. won't be the Dodgers' right-handed power hitter off the bench. He won't be hitting for anybody. A sleepless and emotional week ended when Bichette, a four-time All-Star, abruptly announced his retirement after 14 major-league seasons. Bichette alerted Dodgers general manager Dan Evans of his decision after going 1 for 3 with a double in Friday's 7-3 victory against Montreal. Bichette signed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers on Jan. 30. He nearly walked out of camp Wednesday, and a day later decided to stay. Bichette said he decided to retire at 1 p.m. Friday. ``The lightning is still there in the rod, but guys retire a long time before that leaves,'' Bichette said. ``It's the heart and the focus, and that's what I needed to find that I couldn't find. The heart wasn't there.'' Bichette, 38, was drafted by the Angels in the 17th round of the 1984 draft. He made his big-league debut with the Angels four years later. He also played for Milwaukee, Colorado, Cincinnati and Boston. A career .299 batter, Bichette hit 274 homers and drove in 1,141 runs. He said he would be intrigued by an everyday job but didn't think one was available. During a five-year stretch in Colorado, Bichette drove in at least 100 runs per season. He batted .340 with 40 homers and 128 RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in in 1995. ``I would be hurting this team if I were to stick around when my heart really wasn't in it,'' said Bichette, who was 8 for 42 (.190) with two homers and four RBI this spring. ``If there's two things that I'm most proud of in this game it's one, I've had a pretty good career; I've been a good player. And two, I've kept my family strong and together, and they respect me.'' Bichette's decision leaves the Dodgers in a precarious situation. Bichette was the favorite to complement pinch-hitter Dave Hansen
Kinkade is 6'1" tall and weighs 210 pounds. , Hiram Bocachica Hiram Colon Bocachica (born March 4, 1976, in Ponce, Puerto Rico) is a Major League Baseball player, currently playing outfield for the San Diego Padres. He is 5'11" and weighs around 195 pounds. and Phil Hiatt Phillip Farrell Hiatt (Born May 1, 1969) in Pensacola, Florida, is a retired Major League Baseball utility player. Hiatt played for three different ballclubs during his career: the Kansas City Royals (1993-1995), Detroit Tigers (1996), and Los Angeles Dodgers (2001). as a possible replacement. |
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