BERNIE MIKLASZ WATCH: SCOTT SEABOL’S STRANGE TRIP TO THE MAJOR LEAGUES

Bernie’s column focuses on Scott Seabol, the plunky third baseman who is filling in occassionaly for the injured Scott Rolen. Scott Seabol is the thing motion pictures are made of. Journeyman player finally makes it to the bigs and does well.

Bernie starts off cleverly by looking at Scott Seabol’s history:

Baseball transactions, April 20, 2001: “The New York Yankees have optioned third baseman Scott Seabol to Triple-A Columbus to make room on the roster for Adrian Hernandez. Seabol appeared as a pinch-hitter in one game this season and went 0-for-1.”

This is clever as the St. Louis Cardinals and Scott Seabol were playing. Bernie continues later about Seabol’s experience:

“It was a 3-2 count,” Seabol remembers. “And I popped up. And I always wanted to get that at-bat back.”

Quite a Moonlight Graham experience, eh?

Bernie then sets the table for the main course:

Demoted by the Yankees, Seabol sank into obscurity, trying to resurface for another shot in The Show. Seabol’s patience was tested. He’d have to toil for 432 games and another 1,524 minor-league at-bats before the St. Louis Cardinals recalled him from Class AAA Memphis on May 12 to fill the spot opened by Scott Rolen’s injury.

It would have been nice to hear how Scott Seabol got from the Yankees to the Cardinals on this night, but it focuses on the length of time.

Bernie serves dinner in the next paragraph:

That’s because Seabol connected flush, rocketing Sturtze’s pitch into the left-field seats for a no-doubt, no-question, two-run homer. It gave the Cardinals a 3-2 lead, and gave Seabol the thrill of a lifetime. Though the Cardinals had to draw on the insurance provided by Jim Edmonds’ two-run double, Seabol struck the big blow in a dramatic 5-2 victory that sent the Yankees crawling home after a 3-9 trip.

Seabol is 30 and has been around the block, but the St. Louis Cardinal fans appreciated his effort and it meant a lot to the player:

“To get a curtain call in St. Louis? I really can’t describe it,” Seabol said. “And I got beer dumped all over me. It feels good.”

Bernie ties it all together at the end:

Remember Scott Seabol’s name, and his joy, the next time you hear Barry Bonds whine, or any baseball man gripe about the grind of the big-league life. Score one for a true baseball lifer.

Excellent.

Score: 9 out of 10.