Official word comes that former Reds first baseman Sean Casey is retiring. If your Internet is slow, your text messages crawling and your phone line busy, it’s because of the legions of friends, former teammates and active players sending best wishes to “The Mayor.”

In 12 seasons with the Indians, Reds, Pirates, Tigers and Red Sox, Casey batted .302 with 130 homers and 735 RBI. He’s only 34 years old and coming off two decent years as a first baseman, DH and pinch-hitter. No question, he could help some team for another couple of years.

Casey played for the Reds from 1998-2005 and was the team’s most consistent hitter during that stretch. He’ll likely be a Reds Hall of Famer some day, and not just because of what he did on the field.

If you know anything about Casey–and Reds fans certainly do–you understand this decision is not about the money, as John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer pointed out, and it’s not about hanging onto the game. It’s about family first, foremost and forever. Sean and Mandi have three kids . . . Andrew (7), Jacob (5) and Carli (3), and their lives center busily around the youngsters and their activities. After he was traded by the Reds to his hometown Pirates before the 2006 season, Casey would spend time in his parents’ front yard, playing Wiffleball with kids like his father did on that spot 20-25 years before. The only difference is Casey made sure they had enough extra balls when one rolled across the street and down the sewer drain.

The Reds had played in Washington and it seemed like everyone in the stadium knew Casey. Someone joked that Richmond finally conquered the Capital City because so many of Casey’s college friends had made the trek. The Astros came into town shortly thereafter and Craig Biggio was asked what it was like to be a runner on first base with Casey guarding. Biggio grinned and said, “He is standing there with that big ʻhowyadoinʼ ?ʼ smile on his face like heʼs inviting you into his house for dinner. 

“But you have to be prepared, too. Case is a big distraction over there. He starts talking about your wife and kids and he remembers everything . . . their names, their ages, their activities. And the next thing you know, you have forgotten you’re trying to play a game instead of standing outside having a beer with Sean Casey.”

The stories of Casey’s humanitarianism goes on for volumes. Among many, many, many other contributions are “Casey’s Crew” providing high-priced tickets for disadvantaged kids for games and an anti-hunger organization called “Labels Are For Jars” he founded with talkshow host Conan O’Brien.

Long before reporting to the ballpark at home or away games, Casey could usually be spotted at an area hospital, whether on official team business or showing up unannounced. His positive energy and encouragement for the sick or infirmed is astounding. Casey’s also the guy who helped spearhead major-leaguers to give up a day’s salary for Hurricane Katrina victims.

He couldn’t come to the rescue of all needy kids or causes but he certainly has tried. A writer once called him a real-life George Bailey from “It’s A Wonderful Life.” Chances are you, too, know someone who was touched by Casey’s time, generosity and faith. The story that has always struck me is the time Casey helped an emotional young man he met after a game. The man said his father had died and he didn’t know what he would do because he didn’t have the money to bury him. The Mayor didn’t balk.

“Two days later, I set up this card signing in Dayton,” Casey said. “We raised a lot of money, and I gave it all to him. It would have been worse if I hadn’t tried to help. It was one of those times when you just go with your gut.”

He once told Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News, ”We’re all on this Earth to make a difference while we’re here. When we’re gone, we’re gone. There is scripture that says, ‘The Kingdom of God is now.’ “

True story: Casey grew up a huge Ken Griffey Jr. fan and at age 15 he pocketed some Griffey cards from a neighborhood shop. Caught with the goods and handed over to his dad, he was made to read aloud from a dictionary over and over and over the definitions of criminal, greed, selfish, thief and trust.  

To this day it’s an embarrassing and humbling event in his life, so Casey has never met a fan he wouldn’t sign for, a picture he wouldn’t pose for or a cause he deemed unworthy. That devotion never seemed to diminish his ability on the field, even if a few injuries (and perhaps a little lack of power with the bat) did. 

Now, he moves on to a new career with the Baseball Network, where some way, somehow, they will have to find a way to get Casey to stop talking when the little red light clicks off. Good Lord, the man can talk up a torrential storm. If ever there was anyone who should be paid by the word, it’s Casey.

All of which reminds me of the great line by former Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Tim Sullivan, now with the San Diego Union-Tribune: “If Sean Casey
has a fault, it is that he grounds into too many double plays. Nothing else comes to mind.”

Amen.