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Mets' Galarraga hangs up his glove

Andres Galarraga fields a ground ball during a workout at the Mets training facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida on Feb. 15. Galarraga retired Tuesday. PHOTO: AP

Venezuelan first baseman Andres Galarraga retired on Tuesday after a subpar spring training with the New York Mets, leaving him a homer shy of 400 for his career.

Galarraga, 43, signed a minor league deal with the Mets in the offseason after making his second successful return from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma last season.

A five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove in a 19-year career, Galarraga was hitting just .235 in 17 games for the Mets this spring, with three home runs and seven RBIs. The Big Cat would have likely been left off New York's 25-man roster when the team broke camp.

"This is a sad day for me, but I honestly felt it was the right time to step away," Galarraga said in a statement. "I just wasn't playing up to the expectations that I have set for myself throughout my entire career, and I wanted to walk away on my own terms.

"Playing has been a part of my life for so long, but I just felt this was the right time to give a younger guy a chance to play."

Galarraga made his big league debut with the Montreal Expos in 1985 and has played for St. Louis, Colorado, Texas, Atlanta, San Francisco and the Angels. He finished his career with a .288 batting average, 2,333 hits and 1,425 RBIs in 2,257 games.

With the Rockies, Galarraga hit .370 to win the National League batting title in 1993 and led the league with 47 homers and 150 RBIs in 1996.

"Great, great career. Great man. Great person," Mets manager Willie Randolph said in Viera, Florida.

Referring to whether Galarraga would have made the 25-man roster, Randolph said: "It was going to be a tough decision. You always want to go out on your own terms, so I was happy for him. He's one of the classiest guys in the game."

Randolph expects to see Galarraga stay in major league baseball.

"He'd be an excellent coach, manager -- whatever he wants to be," Randolph said.

Galarraga missed the 1999 season after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, then hit .302 with 28 home runs and 100 RBIs with Atlanta in 2000. The disease reoccurred in November 2003. He underwent surgery that November and had a stem cell transplant the following February.

He hit his 399th home run with the Angels in September and signed with the Mets this offseason, hoping to hit the milestone homer before calling it quits.

"Today shows you what kind of a class individual Andres is," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said. `"He's always handled things with class and dignity throughout his entire career, and this afternoon is another example of his high character."

Hideo Nomo has earned a spot in the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' pitching rotation.

Nomo locked up the fifth and final spot in the rotation Tuesday despite giving up 11 hits, including three home runs, in 4 1-3 innings in the Devil Rays' 5-4 win over Philadelphia.

"I'm pleased with his effort this spring," Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella said of the right-hander. "He worked hard and he earned it. He has the experience we need for our rotation."
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