Mark Mulder Kinda Officially Retiring To Focus On Golf

It's hard to believe that a 32-year-old, once dominant, left-handed pitcher can't get work in the majors leagues. But Mark Mulder has battled injuries and made only three starts in 2007 and one in 2008 for less than stellar results. Even the great Dave Duncan hasn't been able to resurrect one of Oakland's formerly great trio. In five years in Oakland, Mulder went 81-42 with an ERA+ of 114. So maybe he wasn't that dominant except for wins. Mulder was dealt to the Cardinals for a package that included Dan Haren and had one good season in 2007 before it all fell apart.

Mulder tried to mount a comeback but it looks like that's all over so he can focus on golf...

"I guess I am [retired]," he told FanHouse on Monday. "I haven't touched a baseball since February."

Instead he's playing golf, dominating amateur tournaments around Arizona and the West.

Mulder has played nine tournaments on the Golf Channel Amateur Tour, and he's won six of them. Over the weekend he won one of the tour's "major" events, the Western Open in Scottsdale, Ariz.

That's not the best part of the Fanhouse article. He tried training with a javelin throwing instructor in Europe to rehab his shoulder. Everybody knows you go to Africa for good javelin instruction. I would have like to see Mulder try some other new methods. Perhaps training with some rock-throwing Iraqi children or pick-pocketing Mexican children. Come for the baseball, stay for the stereotypes I make up about foreign kids.

Most baseball players turn to a second profession after their playing days are over. Analyst, announcer, golfer. But none will ever beat my hero Kent Merker who decided to turn to turning vodka into urine. And I've been doing that for free for so long!