Former Cleveland Guardians second baseman Jason Kipnis retires from baseball

I will remember you, will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by. Weep not for the memories.

Sarah McLachlan's song rings true yet again.

It's official: Mr. Dirtbag himself is hanging up the cleats following a ten-year MLB career. Drafted by the Indians in the second round of the 2009 draft, Jason Kipnis was a college center fielder, but made the move to second in the 2010 season when he split the season between Kinston and Akron.

Kipnis retires as one of the most decorated second basemen in Cleveland franchise history. Among Cleveland second basemen, he is first in home runs (123), second in doubles (252), second in stolen bases (135), and third in both RBI (529) and WAR (20.5). In addition, he was a two-time All-Star and played a pivotal role during the 2016 World Series run against his hometown Cubs.

By all accounts, Kip was a great guy and the consummate team player. Remember when he moved back to the outfield during the '17 and '18 playoffs? He was also the heart of those 2016 and 2017 teams. Kipnis would also routinely spend an afternoon following the season to sign autographs while also tossing his excess equipment to young fans.

Fans will surely remember his foul ball rocket in the ninth inning of game seven of the 2016 World Series, and his overall gritty play. It's a bummer he didn't get a World Series ring for his stint with the Braves organization in 2021, but he spent the entirety of that season with their Triple-A organization and didn't qualify.

Kipnis was a fun guy to root for and watch nightly. And no doubt, Kipnis will likely hear his name called in the near future, as he's bound for induction into the Indians/Guardians Hall of Fame. When that day comes, it will be a fun celebration on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.