Brandon Webb, a former Cy Young pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks, is officially retiring from baseball, according to his agents at Millennium Sports.
Webb won the National League Cy Young award in 2006 after dominating hitters with a sinker that was known as one of the best in baseball. The 33-year-old hasn't pitched in the majors since 2009 after dealing with shoulder problems and was previously attempting a comeback before deciding to retire.
Webb made the decision official Monday in a statement released by agents Jonathan Maurer and Mike Montana.
"With retirement, Brandon looks forward to focusing on more time with his family,'' the statement said. "He would like to thank all the countless coaches, players and friends for their support during his career.''
Webb had a stretch of time when he was one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball, leading the National League in wins in 2006 and 2008. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Webb won the most games of any pitcher in baseball from 2005 to 2008, winning 70 games during that span.
Webb was drafted out of Kentucky by the Diamondbacks and played in three All-Star games while averaging 227 innings per season from 2004 through 2008. In 2006 he won the Cy Young with 16-8 record, 178 strikeouts and a 3.10 ERA. Following his award-winning year, Webb went 40-17 record over the next two years, finishing second in the Cy Young balloting to San Diego's Jake Peavy in 2007 and San Francisco's Tim Lincecum in 2008 before dealing with shoulder problems.
During the 2007 season Webb threw a franchise record 42 scoreless innings for the Diamondback while pitching three straight complete game shutouts, the 12th longest streak in baseball history. Webb won a career high 22 games in 2008 and led the National League in wins, but lost to Lincecum.
In 2009 he only made into one start on opening day, pitching four innings before leaving the game with a shoulder injury. The next day he was placed on the disabled list and that game was his final major league appearance. According to USA Today, Webb signed a one-year, $3 million deal in January 2011 with the Texas Rangers, but it ended after dealing with a second right rotator cuff surgery.
Webb finished his career with a 87-62 record, 1,065 strikeouts and 3.27 ERA after seven seasons.
