The California Angels announce that they will not offer seven-time batting champion Rod Carew a new contract for the 1986 season
On October 25, 1985 – The California Angels announced that they would not offer seven-time batting champion Rod Carew, a new contract for the 1986 season, effectively ending his 19-year career. Carew finishes with 3,053 hits and a .328 career batting average.
Rod Carew, seven-time American League batting champion who joined California Angels as a free agent in 1979, apparently won’t be with the American League baseball team in 1986. The Angels announced Friday they don’t intend to offer contracts to either Carew or veteran left-handed relief pitcher Al Holland. Carew, 40, played out the final year of his contract this season and will test the free-agent market once again. He said midway through the campaign that he wanted to play at least one more year. “I expected something like this,” Carew said. “I’ve expected it since July so its not news to me. “I’m 40 years old and I know I can’t do the things that I used to do.” Carew said, however, he does not feel too old to play baseball. “I don’t feel like I’m a 40-year-old person,” he said. “I still feel like a young person. I know I can still play.” It was reported several times during the season that Carew would return next year to the Minnesota Twins, where he played his first 12 seasons. Carew played out his option with the Twins in 1978 and signed with the Angels. He won all seven of his batting crowns while playing in Minnesota. Hampered part of the 1985 campaign by a foot injury, the first baseman hit .280 in 120 games with two homers and 39 runs-batted-in. Carew reached a milestone during the season, becoming the 15th player in major league history to collect 3,000 career hits. He was a member of two AL West Division champions during his seven years with the Angels. His .339 average in 1983 was the highest ever by a left-handed hitter in club history. “It is an extremely tough decision,” California general manager Mike Port said regard. ing Carew. “Rod handled our conversation with great dignity and is understanding of the fact that the Angels have reached a transitional stage. “He has been an outstanding achiever throughout his career as an Angel and we wish him nothing but continued success.” Carew was hampered by injuries in recent years. He had a pinched nerve in his neck during 1984 that bothered him during the last few months of the season. He wound up that campaign with a .295 batting average, the first time since 1969 that he hit less than .300.