Jeff Kent, one of the best hitting second basemen in major league history, is set to announce his retirement from baseball Thursday after 17 years in the big leagues. Kent was still productive last year, at seasonal age 40, but injured his knee and played only a small role in the Dodgers' final push toward the NL West title. Could he have been productive again this year? Sure, but given the way the market is treating players his age and with his skillset, Kent probably would have had to take a dramatic paycut to continue his career. It's hard to blame someone who's already set for life for deciding not to spend another year away from his family, especially at a discount rate.
And with that, the discussion about Kent's legacy -- to be more specific his Hall of Fame case -- can begin.
