These veterans deserved a better farewell

They should not have gone out this way, as bit players on a grand stage.

The greatest pitcher of his generation was a mop-up man. The two-time batting champion entered the game as a pinch-hitter. The all-time home run leader among second basemen played two innings at second base, preceded by a third baseman and followed by a third baseman.

This might have been a retirement party for Greg Maddux, for Nomar Garciaparra, for Jeff Kent, without the streamers and balloons and happy faces. As the Dodgers went home for the winter, losers in the National League Championship Series, three of the greatest players of our time might have gone home for good.

We won’t remember them this way.

We’ll block out the image of Maddux as a long man, cleaning up the mess left by a twenty-something starting pitcher.

We’ll forget that Kent watched the first inning from the bench and the final inning in the clubhouse, with rookie Blake DeWitt starting at second base and Casey Blake finishing there.

We’ll erase the memory of Garciaparra striking out as a pinch-hitter, then fouling out for the Dodgers’ final out of the season.

As the Philadelphia Phillies celebrated wildly on the field, Garciaparra walked ever so slowly toward the dugout, savoring every moment, pointing to his parents in the stands and tapping his heart.

He fulfilled a dream by playing for his hometown team. The three years were filled more by injury than by stardom, but the seasons bonded him to his parents in a special way.

“It’s been a thrill to see my parents here watching batting practice every day,” he said. “Now, being a parent myself, I can imagine what they must feel like.

“This is the team they cheered for growing up, and having their son put on that uniform and getting to watch him play? What a thrill for them.”

Garciaparra, 35, would not take off his uniform even as he packed up his locker, even as teammates headed for the showers and filed out of the clubhouse. He had played for the Boston Red Sox, and for the Chicago Cubs, and for the Dodgers.

“I’ve been lucky,” he said, “very fortunate and blessed. Look at the three uniforms I’ve gotten to put on -- probably three of the four most storied franchises in baseball.”

It sounded like a retirement speech, but Garciaparra said he had not decided whether he wanted to play next season.

“I think it’s an insult to ask me about next year,” he said. “I just finished this year with a loss, when I was hoping to go to the World Series.”

Maddux, 42, winner of four Cy Young awards and 355 games, had to bail out Chad Billingsley, 24, who started twice in the series and failed to get out of the third inning both times.

Maddux said he was not offended to serve as a mop-up man.

“It was a privilege,” he said. “I felt privileged to do it. I was glad I had a chance to pitch.

“It stinks that we lost. But there’s a lot of good young players here, and they’re only going to get better. I think this team has a chance to be good for a while.”

He has homes in Dana Point and Las Vegas. He did not want to leave Southern California this season, and he waived his no-trade clause only so the San Diego Padres could trade him to the Dodgers.

He isn’t concerned about whether the Padres or Dodgers might have a spot for him next season, since he said he has yet to decide whether he wants to play.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m going to go home. I’ve got a golf tournament, and I’m going to spend time with my family.”

Kent batted twice. He struck out both times, swinging the first time, looking the second time.

After that called third strike, Kent barked at the plate umpire, took off his helmet, dropped his bat, then started to walk back toward second base. Dodgers coach Mariano Duncan intercepted Kent and redirected him toward the dugout.

He was out of the game, part of a double switch. He gathered his gear, walked to the far end of the dugout and disappeared into the tunnel that led to the clubhouse.

By the time the clubhouse opened to reporters, Kent was long gone. He had packed his equipment bags and left them by his locker. He hung his cap on the hook. He stacked his batting gloves, neatly, on the top shelf of his locker.

Kent, 40, might already have been on the road home to Texas, and to retirement. We didn’t get a chance to give him a proper farewell, to give Maddux and Garciaparra a sendoff.

The Dodgers didn’t get a chance to give them a final start.

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bill.shaikin@latimes.com