Bronson Arroyo's retirement ceremony included a custom Reds guitar and a post-game concert
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There aren't many pitchers like Bronson Arroyo. Known for his exaggerated leg kick, frisbee-like breaking pitches and an almost superhuman ability to stay on the mound -- he topped 200 innings every year from 2005-13, except for once ... when he finished with 199. After making it back to the Majors for 14 starts this season with the Reds after missing all of 2015 and '16, he's now officially ready to ride into the sunset.
Before Saturday's 5-0 loss to the Red Sox -- the team Arroyo helped to a World Series title in 2004 -- it was the perfect time to honor the hurler. First up was the traditional gift to a retiree: a rocking chair.
A number of his former teammates also recorded statements ushering Arroyo into the world of coaching and special assistant gigs:
Arroyo then received a series of gifts, including his No. 61 from the Red Sox scoreboard, a photo book and, perhaps best of all, a custom guitar and guitar case:
- Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 24, 2017
It was a fitting present for Arroyo. Not only has the hurler released an album, but after the game he came out to do a 40-minute set filled with Pearl Jam covers.
He got a pretty good response, too: Eddie Vedder gave Arroyo a shoutout during a solo show in nearby Louisville, Ky.