Michael Cuddyer pens essay to explain retirement

Brad Penner-USA TODAY SportsIn an essay for The Player's Tribune, Michael Cuddyer explained his reasoning for his sudden retirement from baseball.

After just one season with the Mets and 15 years spent at the major league level, Michael Cuddyer announced his retirement from baseball. With one year remaining on his contract with the Mets, his announcement came as a surprise, but Cuddyer explained his decision in a thoughtful essay for The Player's Tribune.

Unsurprisingly, Cuddyer cited the wear and tear of playing baseball for so long as a primary factor in announcing his retirement. In the past few years, he has frequently been injured, and this past season he dealt with a bad knee that kept…