Jeff King Calls It Quits

May 23, 1999 / 8:17 PM EDT / AP

First baseman Jeff King, turning his back on about $3 million, unexpectedly retired Sunday, suggesting his heart was no longer in the game.

The 34-year-old King, bothered by a disc problem in his back since last fall, had already been paid about one-quarter of his $4 million salary on the final year of a two-year contract.

He said his nagging back problem was not the major reason for walking away.

Â"My head is here, my heart is not,Â" he said, fighting back tears. Â"I played the game with integrity, played hard and played hurt.Â"

King had played in only 21 games this year, hitting .236 in 72 at-bats with three home runs and 11 RBIs.

The 11-year veteran began the season with a .256 career average. He averaged 29 home runs and 112 RBIs in his first two seasons with Kansas City, in 1996 and 1997.

King hit .263 with 24 home runs and 93 RBIs last year.

The move could have positive financial repercussions for the cash-strapped Royals. They had been planning to trade pitcher Kevin Appier to unload his $4.8 million contract to get money to sign next month's high draft picks.

The first overall pick of the 1986 draft, King played seven seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Â"I'm ready to turn the page, close the chapter and begin a new one. It comes down to integrity. The struggle I've had with it, I think it's affected the way I've played,Â" he said.

Several of his teammates sat in the back of the room as King made his announcement.

Â"For him to walk away like this proves Jeff King is a man of integrity,Â" said catcher Mike Sweeney, fighting back tears himself. Â"It shows he's a man. He could have continued to play the next 4 1/2 months and taken a paycheck every two weeks and not had his heart in the game. But Jeff is a man of integrity. He shut it down when he thought the time was right.Â"

King said he had worked hard and Â"hoped to get back to where a player needs to be.Â"

Â"I think it just came to the point that as much as I hoped and wished, my heart was not totally committed,Â" he said. Â"It's tough to come out here every day and play at the level that my manager and my teammates think I need to play at.Â"