Brad Ziegler announces retirement

On his 39th birthday, right-handed pitcher Brad Ziegler announced his retirement Wednesday.

Ziegler, who pitched exclusively as a reliever for his entire 11-year Major League Baseball career, made the announcement in a statement on his Twitter account.

"For the last 11 years, I've been living the dream of almost every little boy that grows up in this great country and in many other countries around the world," he wrote. "It's been an absolute privilege to wear the uniforms of the four teams for which I played. But it's time for me to move on to the next chapter in my life, whatever that may be. Today, on my 39th birthday, I'm announcing my retirement as a Major League Baseball player."

The side-winding relief pitcher, who spent over five years in the minors before finally making his major-league debut with the Oakland Athletics in 2008, leaves baseball after spending time with the Arizona Diamondbacks (two separate stints), Boston Red Sox, Miami Marlins, and A's.

During his 11 seasons of big-league action, Ziegler posted a 37-38 record with a 2.75 ERA and 105 saves in 739 appearances.