Tim Raines Retires at 39

Tim Raines knew at the start of the week that his playing days were over. Still, he waited to make the announcement, because he wanted to sit on a big league bench in uniform one last time.

“I guess we all have an alarm for when it’s time for your career to end, and I felt like my alarm went off two weeks ago,” Raines said Thursday in the New York Yankee dugout.

Raines, 39, who played 21 years in the majors, never got into Tuesday night’s game against Toronto. Manager Joe Torre gave him a chance to pinch-hit, but Raines declined.

“That,” he said, “is the first and only time I’ve ever turned down a chance for an at-bat.

Raines, fifth on the career steals list with 807, batted .293 (seven for 24) in 10 games this spring after batting a career-low .215 last season with only four steals. He finished with 168 homers and 1,290 runs batted in, and in steals trails only Rickey Henderson (1,334), Lou Brock (938), Billy Hamilton (937) and Ty Cobb (892).

He made seven consecutive All-Star game appearances from 1981-87, and compiled a .295 career average in for Montreal, the Chicago White Sox, Yankees and Oakland.

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Al Martin returned to the San Diego Padres and went two for two against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Martin, charged with assault in a domestic violence case, claimed he hadn’t slept or eaten since spending Monday night in jail. Since then, he’d been sequestered with his wife, Cathy, at their Scottsdale home.

“I think it was something that definitely needed to happen,” Martin said after his return. “When you’re pretty much barricaded in your house and watching horrible things said about you, your mind goes nuts. It was good to come out and get back to doing something that you do naturally. Being around the guys, they were absolutely great.”

Martin, obtained a month ago from Pittsburgh, received polite applause when his name was announced in the starting lineup, and again before his first at-bat.

“For the most part, the fans had a lot of class and I appreciate that,” said Martin, who acknowledged hearing a couple of hecklers. “I had a lot of handshakes and a lot of ‘hang-in-there’s.’ So I’ve got to look at this as a real good day for me, coming off of circumstances.”

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Gary Matthews Jr., whose father was a Chicago Cub, was traded from the Padres to the Cubs for right-handed pitcher Rodney Myers. Matthews’ father spent 16 years in the majors, playing for Chicago from 1984-87, and was part of the 1984 Cub team that won the NL East.

“He said he’s been dying to get in a Cubs’ uniform since he was 10 years old,” Chicago Manager Don Baylor said.

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Fearing he might be forced to retire, Philadelphia Phillie reliever Jeff Brantley got some good news when he was told he has only a slightly strained triceps. The injury all but ends Brantley’s bid to make the opening day roster, but it doesn’t end his career.

Brantley, coming off his second shoulder operation in three years, knows the news could have been worse.

“I’m 36 years old. If you’re not ready for that by now, you ain’t never going to be ready,” Brantley said.

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Tino Martinez, in a move he hopes will prolong his career with the Yankees, agreed to wave a partial no-trade clause for 2001 in exchange for the team exercising a $6-million option. Martinez, 32, is getting $4.5 million in 2000, the final season of a $20.25 million, five-year contract the Yankees agreed to when he was acquired from Seattle on Dec. 7, 1995. . . . Kerry Wood, who had reconstructive elbow surgery last April, will pitch in a minor league game today instead of in a simulated game Thursday. . . . Right-handed reliever Mark Leiter declined a minor league assignment and was released by the Pirates, who felt he still hasn’t recovered from shoulder surgery. . . . Two rising numbers ended Billy Taylor’s bid to win a spot in the Colorado Rockies’ bullpen: his age (38) and his spring earned-run average (10.80). Taylor, who has 100 career saves, was released by Colorado. . . . Atlanta Brave right-hander John Smoltz underwent successful surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

David Glass, whose $96-million bid to purchase the Kansas City Royals awaits the approval of major league baseball, is selling off almost 40% of his stock in Wal-Mart Inc. . . . Former President George Bush will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Texas Rangers’ home opener on April 3. In Houston, Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan will throw out the first pitch when the Astros open Enron Field next Thursday against the Yankees.