By DON O'BRIEN
Herald-Whig Sports Editor
His ongoing back pain being too much to handle, Josh Rabe announced his retirement from professional baseball on Wednesday.
"I was just sick of being hurt," the 29-year-old Rabe said.
His announcement ends a nine-year professional career that saw him spend parts of two seasons with the Minnesota Twins.
After being released by the Twins after an injury-filled 2007 season, Rabe hooked on with the Camden Riversharks of the independent Atlantic League this year. He was doing well, hitting .361 with six home runs and 30 runs batted in.
Rabe played most of the season through pain. In order to play through it, the team wanted him to get a cortisone shot for his back.
That's when he decided he'd had enough.
"My body's just done," he said.
After being a three-sport star at Unity High School before graduating in 1997, Rabe signed to play baseball at Quincy University. He led the Hawks to an NCAA Tournament berth and was a two-time All-American before being selected in the 11th round of the Major League Entry Draft in 2000.
Rabe was an all-star at every level he played at in the minor leagues and made his big-league debut for the Twins on July 17, 2006, as a pinch runner in a game against Tampa Bay.
A night later, Rabe made his first start and recorded his first big-league hit off Edwin Jackson.
He played in 24 games as a rookie, hitting .286 with three home runs and seven RBI. The following spring, Rabe was one of the last players sent to the team's minor-league camp. He was called up less than a month into the season and played in 14 games before going on the disabled list with a shoulder injury. He had season-ending rotator cuff surgery in June and was released by the Twins in October.
For his major-league career, Rabe hit .250 with three home runs and nine RBI in 38 games.
With his shoulder healed, Rabe's back gave out as he primarily served as a pinch hitter at Camden this season. He had several teams, including the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds, call Camden about his services.
"I was a popular call for (Camden)," Rabe said. "The first thing they always asked was, "Is he healthy?'"
He wasn't, and is now ready to transition into another career.
"I'm really excited for part two of my life," he said.
-- dobrien@whig.com/221-3365
