Brooklyn may be a lock for the playoffs, but the Cyclones’ career prospects aren’t so certain. Only 22 of the roughly 450 players who wore the Cyclone uniform have made the majors — and even the team’s big name stars — like 2002 star Scott Kazmir, who was dealt to Tampa Bay in one of the biggest bonehead trades in Met history — face long odds of making The Show.
So what keeps these guys going? They’re not in it for the dorm rooms at Polytechnic University in Downtown, those overnight bus rides to Vermont or for the money — $1,100 a month plus $20 for meals when you’re on the road.
Fortunately, there’s something more important to these guys.
“Minor league baseball is hard, but you know what you signed up for,” said former Cyclones catcher Brett Kay, a star of the inaugural season who was back on Sunday to throw out a ceremonial first pitch.
Just two seasons after helping lead Brooklyn to its only championship — and having a book written about his season — Kay was out of baseball.
“There are doubts in every player’s head, even a first- or second-round pick. … I was good enough physically, but emotionally, I let the game beat me up too much,” explained Kay. The 29-year-old now coaches a high school team in California, and says telling Coney Island stories to his players is “like singing ‘Kumbaya’ around the fire.”
“Nothing will ever compare to that season,” said Kay, who was a bona fide fan favorite. “It was the best experience of my life.”
Infielder Jake Eigsti, a 25-year-old who has spent parts of the last four season (yes, four seasons) in Class A ball with the Cyclones, shares Kay’s enthusiasm.
“I love playing the game. I don’t want to give it up yet,” said Eigsti. “I’ve thought about coaching, but everybody is focused on getting to the big leagues.”
This year’s Clones may be focused, but they’re not anxious, according to manager Pedro Lopez.
“These kids are too young [to worry about their chances]. They’re doing something they always dreamed of doing,” said the skipper, who spent 13 seasons in the minors without making it to the bigs.
One player who’s definitely not worried is outfielder Scott Grimes, the closest thing Brooklyn has to a real-life Crash Davis.
“A lot of my friends are behind a desk all day, complaining about their jobs. I love my job,” said Grimes, the oldest player in the New York-Penn League at 25.
Grimes, who was called up to Brooklyn on Aug. 6, went undrafted after hitting over .500 in college, then spent the past three seasons playing in the independent Can-Am Association — a league so bush that some teams play taped boos when their opponents are up at bat.
Still, Grimes caught the Mets’ attention by leading the league with a .365 average and 21 homers last year.
“It’s always your goal to join an affiliated team. This is the best lifestyle you can have,” said Grimes.
But what about the bus rides? The soggy chicken fingers?
“I’ve got a uniform on, it’s a good day,” Eigsti said.
The Faux Hole
The Cyclones finished their season series with the Staten Island Yankees tied 7-7 — taking a free dinner out of the belly of Borough President Markowitz, who has a yearly bet on the series with Staten Island beep James Molinaro. “The Baby Bombers from Brooklyn’s suburb may have come back to tie the series, but we’re still in first place and we’ll seek vengeance — Brooklyn-style — if we face the Yankees in the post-season,” proclaimed the understated Markowitz. … The Clones’ series with the Jamestown Jammers got a little heated over the weekend. Both benches cleared on Friday when catcher Juan Centeno tagged a runner at the plate on a confusing play that had actually been ruled dead. No punches were thrown. On Saturday, Justin Garber, out by a mile, bowled over Jamestown’s catcher in the 11th inning trying to score. Garber split his chin and left the game to get stitches. Alex Gregory laid out Jamestown’s catcher on Sunday in a closer play, and John Servidio took a ball off his leg two innings later in that game for his New York-Penn League-leading 10th hit-by-pitch. … Tommy Lasorda, who pitched 13 innings with a 7.62 ERA for the Brooklyn Dodgers, is coming to Sunday’s game to be inducted into Keyspan Park’s Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Fame at 4:30 pm. Lasorda is better known for managing the Los Angeles version of Dem Bums to two World Series championships.
Zeke Faux is a columnist for The Brooklyn Paper. His last name is pronounced “Fox.”
