Atlanta Braves give Sean Kazmar Jr. long awaited second chance

September 23, 2008. That was the last time that Atlanta Braves infielder Sean Kazmar Jr. appeared in the majors. George W. Bush was still president, the iPhone 3 had just come out, and Hurricane Ike had hit Galveston, TX just ten days before. That was also the last time that Kazmar appeared in the majors, playing the final two innings at short in the Padres’ 10-1 loss to the Dodgers.

Now, 4589 days later, Kazmar is back. He was called up to the majors by the Braves, and made an appearance in the fifth inning of their game on Saturday.

Sean Kazmar Jr. a tale of perseverance for Atlanta Braves

At 24 years old at the time of his previous major league appearance, one would have expected Kazmar to get more chances. While his 48 OPS+ in 46 plate appearances was not exactly impressive, he had hit reasonably well in the minors. His ability to play anywhere on the infield made him the type of player that, if nothing else, would get a callup when rosters expanded in September.

But that call never came. Kazmar became a minor league veteran, a depth piece who seemed likely to move on to coaching when his career was over. However, he just kept plugging away, spending time in the Mariners and Mets systems before signing with the Braves prior to the 2013 season.

After seven years as part of the Braves’ organization, Kazmar finally got that second chance. Unfortunately, his moment did not come with a storybook ending, as he grounded into a double play in his plate appearance on Saturday.

But this may not be the end of his tale. Kazmar may finally get that long awaited second chance, having the opportunity to spend some time in the majors to see what he can do. Considering his perseverance in waiting for that second chance, grounding into that double play will not have an effect on his confidence.

After 4589 days, Sean Kazmar Jr. is back in the majors, getting a chance with the Atlanta Braves. His perseverance in waiting for that chance was well worth it.