But Cannon had a significant dilemma in retiring. Rockville owed him $30 million for a player option, and the franchise that traded for him and paid him around $200 million would be forced to bust their budget so that Cannon could get a buyout and retire another $30 million richer. So Cannon, who won three Steve Nebraskas in a row with Rockville and two consecutive titles, stared $30 million in the face and said no. Cannon refused the money, refused to burden the team, and retired with dignity.
"A lot of this is that I just wanted to go out on my own terms," said Cannon. "I've seen the way that other Hall of Fame pitchers have held on a year too long, or two years too long. I saw the way Enrique Gomez was after he left Rockville, watched Jeff Kiplinger finish his career in AAA when I was younger, just fighting for another shot, and even Steve Nebraska had an ERA over five in his last year. I won 16 games this year and led the team and wasn't that far off the league lead. I had a great moment in the All-Star Game. It was the right time, even if I knew I was giving up a ton of money to do it."
Final Seasons From Some Hall of Fame Pitchers
| Player | WAR | L | ERA | IP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Cannon | 2.2 | 16 | 4.62 | 179.1 |
| Steve Nebraska | 0.0 | 5 | 5.91 | 123.1 |
| John Ross Riles | -0.2 | 1 | 7.53 | 28.2 |
| Jay Lee | 0.2 | 3 | 7.74 | 54.2 |
| Christopher Stoller | -0.2 | 1 | 10.24 (AA) | 9.2 |
| Jeff Kiplinger | -0.1 | 0 | 8.17 | 25.1 |
| Ken Howell | -1.3 | 1 | 6.70 | 41.2 |
It could easily be argued that Cannon, who decided to hang up the cleats at 36 years old, was the greatest pitcher of his generation, spearheading a Rockville pitching attack with Arthur Dempster and Dave Martin that has made the playoffs for eleven consecutive seasons and counting. When he retired, he was the active leader in pitching wins above replacement. He is one of just four modern era pitchers to win three straight Steve Nebraskas, joining Hall of Famers Stoller, Michael Strathallan, and Mike Swanson.
"Dan's been the sort of player you could count on, every single day, forever," said Rockville staff ace Arthur Dempster, himself a likely Hall of Famer whenever he hangs up the cleats. "His professionalism and consistency have been an inspiration to me, and he and I will be best friends playing Old Timers' games until we're 80. The fact that he'd do something like this for the franchise and himself is, well, it's just Dan. I haven't always cared about my legacy; I just love what I do and I'm gonna do it until they rip the ball from my glove. Dan cares about how he'll be remembered, and that's just so amazing to me."
Dan Cannon will be remembered as a pitcher whose smarts outpaced his natural talent. His fastball reached just 92 miles per hour at the peak of his career, far below average for the BBA. To compensate, he worked incessantly to master his craft, throwing six pitches for strikes, allowed just two walks per nine innings for his entire career, and forced an incredible number of ground balls.
Cannon retires having won less than ten games just one time in a full season, and his sterling 153-80, 3.35 ERA with the Rockville Pikemen surely demonstrates why he is deserving of first-ballot consideration for the Hall of Fame. He departs the league with a 16-9, 4.62 final season and an All-Star appearance, his thirteenth, but he went just 6-7 down the stretch for Rockville; by the end, his velocity was maxing out at 85 MPH. He was clearly done.
"I wouldn't have felt right about leaving the Pikemen holding the bag for my contract," said Cannon. "I've been paid very well by this franchise, my best friends are Arthur Dempster and Dave Martin, and I'm going to Port-Au-Spain to be the manager of our short-A affiliate. I get to go out on my own terms while I'm still young and healthy, and I can't wait to teach the young men down there a thing or two. I've lived a very charmed life, and I hope that some day I will return to Rockville as the manager of the Pikemen, but just like everything I've ever done, I'm going to earn it."
. You'd think he take the cash
