Cowboy Joe is ready to ride off into the sunset.
Joe West, who has umpired more games than any other umpire in major-league history, will retire following the playoffs after 44 years on the job, he told ESPN's Jesse Rogers on Monday.
The 68-year-old's possible final assignment will be Wednesday's National League wild-card game at Dodger Stadium, where he'll call balls and strikes.
West is one of only three umpires to have worked 5,000-plus games in the majors. Earlier this year, he passed Hall of Fame ump Bill Klem for the most regular-season games umpired, a goal he'd set for himself before retirement.
"Breaking the record was the goal," West told Rogers. "I thought I would do it last year but the season got a little messed up and I don't think it was right to work until the point of the record then just quit."
West, who debuted as an NL umpire in 1976, will leave baseball as one of only three umpires to work 5,000-plus regular-season games in the majors. He's worked another 128 (soon to be 129) playoff games, and West has been on the crew for six World Series, 10 League championship series, eight division series, and three All-Star games.
Though he's well-respected, the controversial West often drew the ire of many because of his style and personality, especially in recent seasons. He's ejected 192 people over his career, according to Retrosheet.
