“Josie’s on a vacation far away…”
Former White Sox infielder Gordon Beckham has officially announced his retirement from Major League Baseball via Twitter. In typical fashion, he also poked a little fun at the situation.
Beckham, now 35, was selected eight overall in the 2008 MLB Draft by the White Sox. Ranked as the organization’s top prospect at the time, Beckham flew through the system and made his debut on June 3, 2009. He would go on to play for the White Sox for seven seasons, appearing in no less than 100 games in each. During that span, he hit .242/.304/.370 with 67 home runs, 296 RBI, .674 OPS, and finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting during his ’09 campaign.
While never fully living up to expectations on the South Side, Beckham became a fan favorite and is still regarded as such. From his walk up song (“Your Love” by The Outfield) to walk-offs on both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in 2015, the infielder managed to provide us with several notable memories during his two stints with the team.
Outside of his days in Chicago, Beckham made stops with the Los Angeles Angels, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, and Detroit Tigers. Unfortunately, he never appeared in more than 85 games at the Major League level for any of the aforementioned teams and struggled during those stretches.
Following his last Major League appearance for the Tigers in 2019, Beckham turned to television. He’s been featured frequently on NBC Sports Chicago as of late, serving as an in-studio analyst and guest color commentator. He’s also done similar work for his hometown Atlanta Braves on Bally Sports South.
On behalf of the entire Sox On 35th team, we would like to congratulate Gordon on his 11-year career and wish him nothing but the best in retirement!
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Featured Photo: NBC Sports Chicago
