1/14/2009 - Former Braves Pitcher Paul Byrd To Sit Out First Half Of 2009 - Sports

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July 4, 2009

Former Braves Pitcher Paul Byrd To Sit Out First Half Of 2009
Hurler Decides To Put His Family Ahead Of Baseball
posted January 14, 2009

Photo by Tim Evearitt
Paul Byrd pitching for Cleveland during Spring Training last March in Winter Haven, Fl.

Based primarily upon a desire to spend more time with his family, pitcher Paul Byrd has decided to sit out the start of the 2009 season.

A FOXSports.com report on Wednesday morning put an end to speculation about where the 38-year-old free-agent right-hander would end up to start the season.

Byrd, a 13-year-veteran, split the 2008 season between Cleveland and Boston and was known to have received numerous offers already this offseason.

However, Byrd told FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal that the grind of a six-month season and Spring Training was too much to put on his wife and two sons for another year.

The Byrd's have a home in suburban Atlanta.

Byrd said he had no desire to announce his retirement and would like the opportunity to join a contender midseason. He has never been to a World Series and believes that he will be able to come back this summer to help a team toward a postseason run.

Ideally, Byrd would like to pitch for a team close to home, making the Braves, Rays or Marlins the most appealing options.

Byrd has a career 108-93 record and a 4.38 ERA with seven teams. He combined to go 11-12 with a 4.60 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 30 American League starts last season. Eight of those wins came after the All-Star break.
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Source: MLB.com

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