Why did Mike Greenwell retire so young? He played with the Red Sox from 1985-1996 and was only 33 when he?

retired in 1996. He should've stayed around for a few more years when the Red Sox started to get really good again. You agree? http://www.baseball-reference.com/g/greenmi01.shtml Greenwell was the Red Sox's version of Don Mattingly, having a really good career, but relatively short. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Greenwell

Public Comments

1. I remember him Playing for the 1986 Team that nearly won the World Series until You know what happen, He should've Retired after the 2004 Season that way he would've Won a World Series Title.
2. i dont know wish i could help
3. He went to Japan after the 1996 season because Hanshin offered a nice contract, but he was out quickly because of a broken foot. The next season, there was some interest from a few MLB teams, but Greenwell was being very selective about signing. Apparently none of the offers were quite was he was looking for, so he instead chose to retire from baseball and start racing stock cars. I was never a Sox fan, but he was one of those guys I liked because he was just a good pure hitter.
4. When a player retires so young it's usually do to a recurring injury. I can't quite remember why Greenwell retired but I'm happy with MANNY. Your question makes me think back to the days of Phil Plantier and Mo Vaughn though.
5. I remember him... He retired because family issues and his grandfather died 2 years before he retired and he was very close to him.
6. He had a foot injury so retired early.
7. Oh, please, do not compare Mike Greenwell to Don Mattingly! BARF Greenwell was always a slow guy. He could play left in Fenway because it is a short field. He had moderate power in the 15 to 22 hr range which is not much for a slow outfielder. When he started losing it, he lost it quickly, just like slow outfielders often do. He was a guy who didn't have outstanding talent but he was a pretty smart player who made the best of what he had and had some decent years. Now, as slow as he was, I was at Fenway when he hit for the cycle in 1988. He started it with a wind-blown triple that could have easily been ruled an outfield error. It was his first hit so it didn't seem controversial until after he completed the cycle.
8. He had a bad back