Robb Retires

Making official what was probably obvious for the past two years, Giants relief ace Robb Nen quietly retired over the weekend. Nen played a huge part in recent Giants history, in pitching against them, pitching for them, and even in not being able to pitch for them at all. He played a role in some of the biggest Giant moments of the past several years, including giving up the home run to Neifi Perez (Neifi Perez!) that sunk the Giants in '98 and being the last pitcher to throw more gas onto the fire that was the Angels' Game 6 rally.

Oh, we're just joking. We kid because we love. Besides, if you look closely, you'll find that Felix Rodriguez was usually responsible for the chokes.

While closing for the Giants, Nen was one of the best closers in baseball and a huge component of the great run the Gigantos have put together under Brian Sabaen. Any doubt about his overall importance to the team should have dissipated sometime around the time the words "now pitching, Matt Herges" caused even the heartiest of men to reach for the strongest whiskey they could find. It wouldn't have been too far of a stretch to say that with a healthy Nen, Steve Finley would never have happened. Hell, you could even say that maybe, just maybe, if Nen were around in 2003 Jose Cruz wouldn't have happened.

Nen in happier days, celebrating a playoff win in 2002 from ESPN

But the greatest testament to his career and what he means to the Giants Universe ironically involves probably that moment, that inning from hell- the eighth inning of The Game Which Shall Not Be Mentioned. The box scores say that Nen was the one who gave up the hit to the person with whom if we were Sox fans we would simply refer to as Troy Bleeping Glaus, but in this case, the box score doesn't tell the full story. For Nen went into the game with an arm past E, past the line that actually means the tank is empty. His shoulder, the very same shoulder that led to his retirement, was already torn and frayed, held together by Stan Conte's magic duct tape and Nen's gritty heart. Weeks before the end of the season, when his shoulder was diagnosed as torn, he was told in no uncertain terms that he had a choice- he could save his career but hurt the Giants by going on injured reserve . Or he could pitch on and help the Giants but possibly risk his career. He chose to help the Giants. It's safe to say to without Nen pitching, the Giants wouldn't have even made it that far, wouldn't have been in any position to break our hearts.

And for that, we say thanks, a lot Robb.

No seriously, thanks.