I never understood the argument that a great player should retire while he's still at least a very good player. Oh, sure, it can get ugly at the end. We didn't have a television while I was growing up in central Vermont, so the first postseason I saw on the tube was the 1973 World Series at Uncle Ruby's house.

I was 9 and Willie Mays was 42. He staggered and fell in center field while trying to run down fly balls against Oakland, and I couldn't figure out why everyone thought he was so great. As I later understood, that would be regarded as one of the most notable examples some fans use of an accomplished player who hung around too long.

But this is the way I've always looked at it, even after covering some great players at the end of their careers: As long as they don't act like divas and become a distraction, they should play as long as they want to play.