Omar Vizquel Wants To Play In 2011. Question: Why?

Omar Vizquel told the Sun-Times that he might want to come back for another year:

Asked if he sees himself playing another season, Vizquel said, ‘’Yes, I do. I think it would be sad that if at the end of the season I look back, look at my year, and say, ’Man, I don’t think I can do this anymore.’ Taking a look at the numbers and the things that I have done this year, it will give me a good possibility to come back next year and try and see if a team is interested in wanting me again.’’

Well, let’s look at those numbers. Vizquel has a .697 OPS — that’s pretty bad. He doesn’t have speed or power and his range in the field isn’t what it used to be. He has, from all accounts, been a solid teammate and mentor to Alexei Ramirez.

But he is 43. With Jamie Moyer on the DL with an injury that could be career-ending, he is the last active player to have played in the 1980’s (and in the old Comiskey Park). One of his teammates his rookie year was Jeffrey Leonard; Leonard turns 55 next month.

Eventually, all players have to hang it up. It seems time for Vizquel to get into coaching or managing; he appears to be well-suited for that.

And Luis Aparicio’s #11 can go back to being retired; it never should have been “unretired” in the first place.