MLB notes: With bum hip, Delgado calls it quits for good

Carlos Delgado officially gave up Wednesday on coming back from a hip injury, announcing his retirement from baseball two years after he was sidelined with 473 career home runs.

The former Mets and Blue Jays first baseman announced his decision at a news conference in his native Puerto Rico.

"There comes a moment when you have to have the dignity and the sense to recognize that something is not functioning," the 38-year-old said. "You can't swim against the current."

The two-time All-Star played 17 major-league seasons and finished with a .280 career batting average. He played for the Blue Jays from 1993-2004, went to the Marlins for a season and finished his career with the Mets from 2006-09.

Delgado stopped playing in the majors in May 2009 and had two hip surgeries in nine months. He won the Hank Aaron Award in 2000, the Silver Slugger Award in 1999, 2000 and 2003, and the Roberto Clemente Award in 2006.

Hamilton squares things with coach

Josh Hamilton was in the clubhouse with his Texas teammates, trying to stay hopeful a day after finding out he could miss two months with a broken arm.

"Obviously, I'd like to be out there playing with them, but it'll be fun to watch them the next few weeks," Hamilton said.

Hamilton broke his upper right arm on a headfirst dive into home plate Tuesday at Detroit.

The Rangers put him on the 15-day DL Wednesday, but the reigning AL MVP is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

Hamilton tried to score from third on a foul popup. He called the daring dash "stupid" after Tuesday's game and said third-base coach Dave Anderson told him to go. He said Wednesday he doesn't hold Anderson responsible for the injury.

The two met before Wednesday's game.

"I just appreciate Dave having confidence in my ability, to think I could make that play. We talked behind closed doors," Hamilton said. "I could have took a different route, as far as trying to cool down a little bit before I spoke, but everything's good."

Short hops

■ The Orioles placed shortstop J.J. Hardy on the 15-day DL Wednesday retroactive to April 10 because of a strained muscle on his left side and recalled right-hander Brad Bergesen from Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles made the move after they were certain Wednesday's game against the Yankees was going to be played despite bad weather in the area.

■ Mets pitcher Chris Young has soreness in his surgically repaired arm, and his next scheduled start has been pushed back two days until Sunday. New York plans to bring D.J. Carrasco out of the bullpen for a spot start in Atlanta on Friday night, when Young originally was slated to pitch. Young, a 6-foot-10 right-hander, has biceps tendinitis but is off to a terrific start in his first season with New York, going 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two outings.

■ For the second time in three games, the Mariners set a new record low for attendance at Safeco Field on Wednesday: 12,407.

■ The Royals' bullpen has an ERA of 1.72 in the last five games.

This story was originally published April 14, 2011 at 5:57 AM with the headline "MLB notes: With bum hip, Delgado calls it quits for good."