I got emotional about my retirement. I got emotional in the press conference when I announced my retirement, and I got emotional on the field. I cried. There was so much on Twitter about how heartfelt and emotional it was, and a lot of fans said they were crying along with me. Thank you.
The day of the press conference, when I announced my retirement to the media, they asked me what I was going to miss most about the field. That’s when I shed some tears. I knew what I was going to miss the most. It was my relationships with some of my friends on the team. One thing ballplayers know is that there will be friends on their team that will be closer than brothers. We’re lucky to know that, and I already knew it from experience. So I got teary-eyed talking about a couple of close friends like that, Buster Posey and Matt Cain. Those two guys specifically are friends that are so close to me. I’d take a bullet for either one of those guys.
Those friendships, those relationships, that’s what I’m going to miss the most. I’m very relational in how I do things, and so I’m really going to miss the relationships that I developed on the field. That was the best part. Will there be other times and other relationships that are just as powerful? Yes, of course. Relationships that strong are ongoing. I have some of them in my home town, too. But seeing those guys all the time? I’m going to miss that a lot. I’m going to miss all that stuff that I got to do in the clubhouse and on the flights. I’m going to miss lunches, breakfasts, dinners on the road, just being with the guys on the team. And Buster and Cain, specifically, I will really miss.
But nothing meant more to me than being able to tell my children that I’m coming home. They missed me a lot. On the road, I’d call home every night, and they would say, “When are you coming home?” Or they’d ask, “When are you going to be done?” My oldest son was asking me when the road trip would end and the team would play at home. I just had so many times on the road where it was, “Are you home yet?” “How many days left till you get back?” “When are you coming home?”
That’s why, during my speech at my retirement ceremony, I told my children, “Daddy’s coming home.” That was the biggest thing, for them and for me. To say it then was to let them know that I always said that, but this time, it wasn’t temporary. This time, it was for good. This time, I was saying, “I’m going to be home a lot more now. Daddy’s coming home to stay.”
That meant so much. It meant a lot to my children, and it meant a lot to my family. Probably right then, only me and my family knew just how much it really meant. And I know that a couple of guys on the team knew too.
Whew. So yeah, I cried, talking about how much I would miss the guys I got to play with, and telling my children that I was coming home. It was such a great experience for me to be able to do that.
If you watched it, you know I shared my tears when I honored my wife, too. I’ll tell you about that next time. See you Thursday.
Jeremy Affeldt 
Aww so beautiful! 😢😢 They are all going to miss you too! You were such a blessing them to all of your teammates! You now get to be with your loved ones but you can always visit and call your team! Thank you for being who you are! Wish you the very best! God Bless!!
And this is why I am counting down the years, months and days until my husband gets out of the military.
Thanks. You set an example about properties often never expressed out loud. Also, thank you got being man enough to cry.
Jeremy, I am Tim Flannery’s mom, Joyce……I have enjoyed watching you….pitch, but more than that….I have been blessed watching you as a role model for young people. Tim and Donna have told me what a great guy you are….and you will be missed from the Giants…Thank you for the Godly example you have been to the ball team too…..I know it will be exciting to see where God puts you next……..Merry Christmas to you and yours….
I was one who cried right along with you during your retirement announcement and your farewell. You will be missed, but we also understand the need to put your family first. You have been an amazing person and role model and our family has enjoyed watching every time you took the mound (through the good and the bad days). Thank you for all you’ve done for the organization and us fans. You will be missed and thought of fondly. Just remember, Once a Giant, Always a Giant. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family. Cheers to the next adventures that lay ahead of you.
Cried during your speech and now you made me tear up afain! *sob ! Enjoy your family!
For Jeremy Affeldt. Wanted u to know how much our family enjoyed your career. Living in Merced, California we always got your connect. My mother taught at Herbert Hoover back in the 1950’s. Every time she saw you she would yell, “He’s Dutch!!!” Mom is full blooded Dutch, too. She also taught at Margaret Sheehy school and she convinced her best friend who became president of NAACP to return to college which she did and became a teacher at Rudolph Riviera school. My twin sis and I also went to school with George Descalso whose son, Danny, played for St Louis. She and I went to all the playoff games, (season ticket holder, her. Poor poor pitiful us). It was a tight playoff game against St Louis and u were pitching the ninth. Danny was on third. Those old Merced ball fields were going through my mind. Although George moved his family up to the BayArea, there was still enough stuff to create a short leash in my mind that Danny seemed content to wear, so we fans all helped hold him there on third and we won! Giants blood runs the thickest! In 2010 we couldn’t afford WS tix. In 2012 my sis offered the first two WS home games to the two gentlemen who buy part of her season tix (clients first). Done in four games! We’ll take the win! 2014 we made all three WS games. Looking forward to next season. But yes, we will miss u. I cried too. Be blessed