Not Dead Yet
Sometimes it just takes a little minor league deal to resurrect the “dead” baseball players that are eager to get one last shot at the big time. In recent months, there has been a pattern of former all-star caliber players signing minor league contracts in hopes of making the 25-man roster come April.
Some might propose that these old “geezers” sign these measly contracts because they are in denial of their fading athletic abilities. I, on the other hand, see no reason why these guys shouldn’t go out and do the very thing they were born to do — play baseball. If anything, it shows the passion they still have, even if it is just playing for a team like the Gary Railcats located in arguably the smelliest city in America (sorry Gary natives, it’s true).
Recall a former prime-time pitcher by the name of Russ Ortiz. He was the man that led the San Francisco Giants to the World Series in 2002. He was also the man that came in 4th place in the Cy Young Award race in 2003 after going 21-7 and posting a stellar 3.81 ERA with the Atlanta Braves. After signing with the Diamondbacks in ’05, Ortiz fell off the radar. He was well past his prime and his name disappeared from the wish lists of most Major League organizations. In early January, Ortiz signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers and received an invite to spring training.
For Ortiz, it seems there is still a little light left at the end of the tunnel.
Same story goes for Eric Gagne.Remember when he was a Cy Young Award winner? How about when he converted 84 consecutive save chances? Or when he set the Major League record for saves in a season? It seems like a lifetime ago but Gagne has since seen all of that glory fade away from blown chances with the Rangers, Red Sox, Brewers and a desperation stint in his native Canada with the Quebec Capitols.
Now, he has returned to the organization that made his name a staple among elite closers — The Los Angeles Dodgers. Gagne signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers last Thursday, giving him another shot at making an Opening Day roster.
Veteran presence on a Major League roster is vital for success, especially on a contending team. That’s what the 2004 Boston Red Sox (known as the “idiots”) had in their World Series campaign, most notably (for the sake of the article), the leading “idiot” Kevin Millar.
The seasoned veteran first baseman has always been the class clown of any team he joins. Every now and then he’ll club a homerun or two, but the constant about Kevin Millar is his leadership. Just when it seems like Millar is down and out, you see him pop up on the radar every year. On February first, Millar signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs, further lengthening the pattern of veterans taking the minor league routes to extend their careers.
Among the other notables who signed minor league contracts with teams are Sean Estes, Brian Giles, and Randal Simon.
It has become very apparent that young players in the league need veteran leadership, and if you ask me, the more the merrier. Name one World Series champion that didn’t have veteran leadership to fall back on. This very pattern brings about a part of baseball that can never die — passion. Age can diminish talent in some aspects of the game but it is unable damage the love and will to compete.
The minor league is home to an array of young talent aching to make it to the big time. Under the radar are the Russ Ortiz’s and Kevin Millar’s that are mentoring these young players, guiding them through their way up to the big leagues.
Don’t be surprised as the season gets closer if more forgotten veterans get the urge to put on the cleats and glove one more time. Who knows? Maybe Barry Bonds (insert asterisk here) will arise from the steroid-ridden ashes and “break” another record.