ESCANABA, Mich. -- For Kevin Tapani, 13 years in the big leagues was long enough.

	Kevin Tapani Starting Pitcher Chicago Cubs Profile
	2001 SEASON STATISTICS GM W L BB K ERA 29 9 14 40 149 4.49

The 37-year-old pitcher, who got off to a great start with the Chicago Cubs last season before fading down the stretch, is retiring, the Daily Press of Escanaba reported Saturday.

"There are a lot of things I'll miss about playing baseball, but I realize I can't do it forever," Tapani said. "I'm at that point where I can't play at the level I would be happy with."

After winning eight of his first nine starts in 2001, Tapani finished 9-14 with a 4.49 ERA.

The Cubs bought out the final year of his contract, and Tapani filed for free agency. The right-hander said he was contacted by about five teams, and he rejected an offer from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"They needed someone else to balance out their rotation, and I thought a 38-year-old guy with a back problem would not be the answer," said Tapani, who will turn 38 on Monday.

Tapani finishes with a career record of 143-125 and a 4.35 ERA. He started 354 games during 13 seasons with the New York Mets, the Minnesota Twins, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Chicago White Sox and the Cubs.

Tapani's best year was 1991, when he went 16-9 with a 2.99 ERA and won a World Series title with Minnesota. He finished seventh in the AL Cy Young voting and was the winning pitcher in Game 2 of the World Series against the Atlanta Braves.

Tapani won a career-high 19 games in 1998 and helped lead the Cubs to the NL playoffs.

He said he reached his decision in August and planned to announce his retirement in September, but after the terrorist attacks and the dismissal of Cubs pitching coach Oscar Acosta on the final day of the season, he just cleared out his Wrigley Field locker.

"It didn't seem to be a good time," Tapani said. "I thought I would just kind of go away quietly. It seems nowadays if you announce your retirement, all it means is you're going to play again."

Tapani, who lives in Wayzata, Minn., is a native of Escanaba. He said he already has plans to coach youth baseball teams for his two sons, Ryan and Luke.