Dec 11 2019 07:45 PM
Overlooked back in September was the announced retirement of 2015 draft choice Kevin Kaczmarski.
He was hitting .300+ for Las Vegas back 2018, and it earned him a brief look with the big team as a lefty pinch-hitter, despite his never having showed enough power for a corner outfielder.
The one time he reached base, in his second pinch-hitting appearance, was on a walk. He then tried to show the qualities that he hoped would get him a ticket to stay, taking off for second and being thrown out pretty easily by Pirates catcher Elias Diaz. His helmet flew off and there was some kind of resignation in the way he picked up his helmet and walked off. "I'm in the best shape of my life, putting together the best sustained run of hitting I've had as a pro," his body language seemed to say, "but I really don't belong here."
They were up 3-0 in the seventh at the time, and as much as you might have tried to chalk the caught-stealing off to experience, it totally sapped the the Mets' mojo, with the team going on to lose, 5-3, featuring Jeurys Familia's worst appearance of the year, giving up four earned runs without getting an out.
If you have any memories of Kevin Kaczmarski beyond that, well, I'd sure like to hear 'em.
