Radke Retirement Official

Righthanded pitcher Brad Radke announced his plans to retire from baseball after 12 seasons in a Twins uniform. Radke was originally drafted by the Twins in the eighth round of the June, 1991 free agent draft.

Radke, 34, had a career record of 148-139, 4.22 (2451.0 ip, 1150 er) with 445 walks and 1467 strikeouts in 378 appearances (377 starts). The only relief appearance of his career was his
Major League debut, April 29, 1995 vs. Baltimore.

Radke was the Twins Opening Day pitcher nine times during his 12 year career, including
seven in a row from 1999-2005. With 12 wins in 2006, Radke joined Jim Kaat as the only pitchers in Twins history to have 10-or-more wins in 10 different seasons.

On the Twins’ All-Time list, Radke ranks second in games started (377), third in wins (149),
innings pitched (2451.0) and strikeouts (1467), fourth in games (378) and tied for seventh in complete games (37) and shutouts (10). Among all active pitchers through the 2006 season, Radke ranks first in fewest walks per-9-innings (1.63), 12th in games started, 13th in complete games and innings pitched and 14th in wins.

Comments from Radke at his press conference:

I want to thank my agent Ron, he’s been the man…he’s given Terry a lot of headaches that’s for sure…and the Pohlad’s, Carl, I just want to thank him…he’s the man, Dave St. Peter, everybody…the whole organization, I don’t want to forget anybody…Gardy, I wish I had a ball, you could take the ball from me one last time…Like I said this is very special, I’m not going to be the guy to come out of retirement, that’s something I’ll never do, when I make a decision I make a decision.

I can just sit up here for hours and just stare at everybody…but Gardy, thank you…it’s been a hell of a run. Four playoff years. I thought we had four great chances to make it to the World Series, baseball’s a funny game, you can’t predict what happens. Especially this year, losing three tough games…life goes on and it’s good times…I’m ready to open up another chapter in my life, baseball will always be a part of my life.