Atlanta Braves: who is this Sean Kazmar guy?
Whether Sean Kazmar has a chance with the Atlanta Braves or not, you gotta admire his effort.
He has exactly forty-six major league plate appearances… occurring over a decade ago for a team over 2,000 miles away. But he’s still playing… still hoping for a chance to get back to The Show for our Atlanta Braves.
His name is Sean Kazmar. Sean Frank Kazmar, Jr. to be exact. That’s not to be confused with pitcher Scott Kazmir, who is almost the same age and also had a shot with the Braves in recent years (2018 Spring).
That major league cup of coffee started on August 13, 2008 with the Padres. Kazmar played some middle infield for them and hit .205 with 7 singles and a double mixed among 5 walks and 14 K’s. But it was the big leagues.
He hasn’t sniffed the majors since. But it hasn’t been for lack of trying — and even that much of MLB life is pretty good for a kid drafted in the 5th round back in 2004 out of the College of Southern Nevada.
Since that graduation in 2008, the Valdosta, GA native has been a fixture on various AAA teams:
- 2009-10: Portland (Padres)
- 2011: Tacoma (Seattle)
- 2012: Buffalo (Mets, with a side trip to AA Binghamton)
But since 2013 began, Kazmar apparently decided that there was one place he’d rather be than anywhere else: at Gwinnett as a member of the Braves organization.
It’s got to be by choice. Nobody sticks with a single AAA squad for seven straight seasons (2020 would have been #8). He’s 36 now… turns 37 in August… and is still putting in the work despite close to 3,000 other players getting “the call” since he last did.
Since arriving at Gwinnett, Kazmar has amassed…
- 667 games played
- 2498 plate appearances
- 620 hits
- 127 doubles
- 37 homers
- 293 K’s (that’s just an 11.7% rate)
- an OPS around .700
Realistically, those aren’t numbers that will get you watched for a promotion, but you’d think Kazmar would already know this. It’s apparent that he just wants to play baseball.
However, it’s notable that his hitting has been continuing to improve over the years in Georgia… .a career-high .297 in 2014 and almost every other season above his minor league average of .259.
An Atlanta Braves juggernaut?
But now, in the 2021 edition of Atlanta Braves Spring Training, he’s hitting like this could be his last shot.
In 8 AB, Kazmar is leading the entire team in OPS (2.200), slugging (1.500), and homers (2) while also in the top 3 in average (.625) and OBP (.700). Oh, and he’s walked twice to boot.
Yeah, I know… the disclaimers: Kazmar isn’t hitting against the early-in-the-game major league pitching for the most part. He’s a late-game replacement… and ten plate appearances aren’t nearly enough to overcome a body of work developed over a decade-plus.
Then there’s the fact that he’s primarily a second baseman… and the Braves already have one of those who’s pretty good.
So what would have to happen for Kazmar to get his shot with the team he so obviously loves?
- Multiple injuries ahead of him, probably including Ozzie Albies and Ehire Adrianza
- General lack of hitting from Jason Kipnis (which is kinda happening: .214)
- General lack of hitting from Ryan Goins (not so much: .333)
- … or maybe Swanson gets hurt and the shortstop position opens up
- An opening created on the 40-man roster for him
In other words… a lot of bad things have to happen.
Or… just a manager like Brian Snitker asking Alex Anthopoulos to give Kazmar one more chance for a week or two. There’s a chance, after all, that Snitker himself has a soft spot for players exactly like Kazmar… the ones who keep working who just won’t take “no” for an answer.
But yes: it would take a lot to get Sean Kazmar back to the majors… and at thirteen years apart, that might be some sort of record, too. But he’s just happy playing the game, too.
It probably won’t happen. It probably can’t happen. But you also can’t help rooting for guys like Sean Kazmar. They are what baseball is all about.