7 stars who found late-career spark in new city

Veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins agreed to a Minor League contract with the Giants on Monday, seeking to rejuvenate a career that looked as though it might be at an end. The 38-year-old former National League MVP can look back at several former stars who were in a similar situation but managed to return for one last hurrah with a new team:

Pedro Martinez with the Phillies in 2009

With three Cy Young Awards, eight All-Star appearances and a World Series title to his name, Martinez sat out the first half of the 2009 season before signing with the defending World Series-champion Phillies for the stretch run.

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At age 37, the right-hander started nine games and posted a 3.63 ERA for Philadelphia, followed by seven scoreless innings in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series against the Dodgers. The Phillies won the NL pennant but lost to the Yankees in the World Series.

Martinez was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in ’15.

Frank Thomas with the A’s and Blue Jays from 2006-07

Thomas became one of the most feared sluggers in the game during his 16 years with the White Sox, winning the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1993 and ’94, and being selected to the American League All-Star team five straight years from ’93-’97. But Chicago did not re-sign The Big Hurt following a World Series victory in 2005, a season in which Thomas was injured and only played in 34 games.

The free agent signed with the A’s and hit .270/.381/.545 with 39 home runs and 114 RBIs in 2006. Thomas’ WAR that season, per Baseball-Reference.com, was 3.2, and he finished fourth in AL MVP voting.

The future Hall of Famer signed another free-agent deal that winter, joining the Blue Jays on a two-year contract. He posted an .857 OPS with 26 home runs and 95 RBIs in 2007. It was his final productive season before being released and returning to the A’s in ’08, retiring thereafter.

Mike Piazza with the Padres in …

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