Tony Kemp, who spent nine seasons as a spark plug in places like Houston and Oakland, steps out

Tony Kemp calls it a career. The veteran player announced his retirement on social media on Thursday after nine seasons in the majors. The 5-foot-6 Kemp hit .237 with 35 home runs and 184 RBIs in 739 games for the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles. Kemp broke into the Astros in 2016, three years after the club selected him from Vanderbilt in the fifth round of the 2013 amateur concept. He became a regular by 2018. Kemp moved from Houston to Chicago in 2019 and then signed with Oakland before the 2020 season. He enjoyed his best season in 2021, while hit a best .279 in 131 games and partly became a fan of a fan because of his size, something he acknowledged in his retirement announcement. “To the bottom ball player: I see you, I hear you, and I understand you,” Kemp wrote. “With all the statistics and data in the game of baseball today, there is one more measurement they cannot calculate: your heart. Continue to play the game in the right way and respect it. The game will reward you, I promise.” Kemp signed with three different teams in 2024, including twice with Cincinnati. He made a handful of appearance with the orioles last spring before being released. Kemp spent time with Minnesota and the Reds in the minors last summer, but did not return to the big leagues. “Perspective is all we have in life,” Kemp wrote. “So if I could go back in time and tell my 12-year-old self: a World Series ring, a 4x Roberto Clemente nominee and to be the shortest designated hitter in the history of the post-season, would I simply say, ‘Where can I sign up? ” ___