5 Latinos Who Should Retire

Ok, I needed to wait a few days JUST to make sure the dude actually stuck to his decision.  Now it seems official, Brett Favre plans to stay retired.  No personal hater-aide for Favre (although the back-and-forth routine he played with the Vikings was kind of lame), but he definitely makes the right decision by hanging up the ol’ #4 jersey and riding off into the Mississippi sunset.  As much as he wants to play, and as much as fans still want to watch him play, everyone knows “the ride” is over for Brett Favre.  Let’s be honest, the former Jets QB represented only one of many athletes in need of “calling it quits” status.  So in honor of Brett’s decision, here are some Latinos ready for the golden years of retirement.

Gilbert Arenas (SG, Washington Wizards)
Sad Fact: Played a total of 15 games over the past two seasons.
Analysis: Let me make one thing clear – I root for Gilbert Arenas like no other.  He easily ranks as one of my favorite basketball players in the game.  The only problem, the dude just can’t stay healthy.  He plays on a knee more fragile than A-Rod’s ego and watching him get hurt (again), rehab (again), and come back a lesser version of himself (again) really becomes too depressing to deal with on a yearly basis.  

David Ortiz (DH, Boston Red Sox)
Sad Fact: After suffering a wrist injury in 2008 (and posting his worst statistical season in Boston), Ortiz started out 2009 by hitting only .208 with no home runs and 30 strikeouts in his first 34 games.
Analysis: Big Papi went from being one of the most feared hitters in baseball to being a guy Boston benched in favor of AAA ham-and-eggers.  Just when Ortiz started to turn things around, he got linked to the infamous 2003 PED list.  To make matters worse, his best seasons seem to correspond with the dates of his alleged performance-enhancing drug use.  Leave now and let’s remember you for being the best clutch-hitter in a corrupt era and not something much worse. 

Eric Chavez (3B, Oakland A's)
Sad Fact: Played a total of 31 games over the last two seasons.
Analysis: In the early-to-mid 2000’s nobody manned the hot corner like Chavez.  The dude took home six consecutive Gold Glove awards at the third base position and remained the one constant (and last remaining Moneyball player) in the Oakland A’s organization.  Unfortunately, Chavez suffers from a bad back, will miss the rest of the 2009 season, and needs potentially career-ending surgery in the off season.  E.C., hang up the spikes now and let’s walk away from the game with your health intact.

Felix Trinidad
Sad Fact: Lost his last two fights after starting out with a 42-1 career record.
Analysis: Arguably the best Puerto Rican boxer in history (and one of the best Caribbean-born fighters of all time), Trinidad’s already retired twice in his career.  Here’s my advice – retire for a third time.  Losing back-to-back fights serves as enough proof that Tito is past his prime, and at the advanced (in boxing terms) age of 36 why push a career that already deserves Hall of Fame status?

Bartolo Colon
Sad Fact: Disappeared from the Red Sox in 2008, then disappeared from the White Sox in 2009.
Analysis: Please read the above sentence.