The best story in baseball today -- hell, in all of sports -- is not that my cruddy Pittsburgh Pirates are actually better than the mighty New York Yankees right now. No, really, it's true. Cruds rule!
But enough about that ("Yes, really," you're saying). Let's talk about this guy named Sean Kazmar Jr. instead.
Sean Kazmar Jr. is an infielder in the Atlanta Braves system, which is not significant in and of itself except that the other day he was called up and activated by the big club. This in turn is not significant until you consider how long it's been since that last happened.
Thirteen years is your answer.
Yes, you heard right. Kazmar, who is 36 now, was originally drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2002, when he was 17. Then he was drafted by the A's and the Padres, with whom he eventually signed. In 2008, he played 19 games in the bigs. batting .205 in 39 at- bats.
He's been riding buses in the minors since.
Bryan Fonseca of Deadspin tells the tale here. And it's quite a tale.
Imagine, spending 13 summers trying to get back to the Show. Thirteen summers with kids who get younger and younger every year because you keep getting older and older; thirteen summers of day games after night games in Port Where Is This and Is This Really A City and Outskirts Of Boondocks USA.
That's some love of the game right there. Or some questionable sanity. Take your pick.
Either way, good on the guy. 'Cause that's a hell of a long stretch to wear a rally cap.
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