The amazing and tragic career of Adam Greenberg

41GoudeyGuy · December 4, 2009 3:25AM

I just learned about this player today. My son was selected to play on a 2010 10U Travel Ball team recently and while scanning through the literature I found a reference to a club alum by the name of Adam Greenberg.

Adam Greenberg appeared in one major league game in 2005. During the 8th inning of that game he pinch hit for Wil Ohman, was hit by the very first pitch he saw in the major leagues and was immediately pinch run for by Carlos Zambrano. He never made it back to the bigs and was out of baseball in 2009. So, his career lasted exactly one pitch but he did end up with a 1.000 career OBP.

At least Moonlight Graham got to play the field. You figure Adam winked at Valerio De Los Santos and got plunked for it?

Edited to add: He was struck in the head with the pitch and had to be placed on the DL with a concussion.

Anybody got any cards? I'd like to have some.

ripkenintheminors · December 4, 2009 3:38AM

When Adam was with the Diamond Jaxx I did media in the minor league system for the Cubs. It went from an amazing story to a tragedy. Greenberg was called up with Matt Murton and had the plate appearance you mentioned in Florida. I watched in horror as the kid laid on the ground. All Adam could remember was the catcher telling him to "hold still". If memory serves right Kerry Wood either stayed with him or offered the family to stay with him in the hospital. I caught up with him in the minors as he was trying to get back to the majors. The vertigo from the inury made it tough for a comeback. What's terrible is that he is such a great young man.

ripkenintheminors · December 4, 2009 3:45AM

Take a look at the following page on YouTube. This is Adam's page.

link

41GoudeyGuy · December 4, 2009 4:03AM

The more I learn about this the more tragic it becomes.

Adam did play 2009 with Bridgeport in the Independent Leagues. Assuming he is there again this year we will make the trip to meet this amazing young man.

digicat · December 4, 2009 4:05AM

Checking out his minor league stats, it looks like he was no stranger to gettting plunked, having gotten hit 40 times between 2002 and 2005. Getting his bell rung in the majors seemed to have messed him up at the plate for the whole 2006 season though, as his avg plunged from .269 in 2005 to to .209.

Borrowed pic:

ripkenintheminors · December 4, 2009 4:16AM

Here's a link to a Q & A I organized with Adam after the injury:

Q & A with Greenberg

ripkenintheminors · December 4, 2009 4:18AM

<< <i>The more I learn about this the more tragic it becomes.

Adam did play 2009 with Bridgeport in the Independent Leagues. Assuming he is there again this year we will make the trip to meet this amazing young man. >>

I watched the video in that clip on his page and felt sick. Again, a wonderful young man.

EchoCanyon · December 4, 2009 5:50AM

Tragic story, yes. But not as rare as you think -- only being in one game.

There's a great book called Once Around The Bases (great title, too) -- and the author speaks with the players and asks them what they remember (some actually get it wrong) and what happened.

Book Link

ripkenintheminors · December 4, 2009 5:53AM

<< <i>Tragic story, yes. But not as rare as you think -- only being in one game.

There's a great book called Once Around The Bases (great title, too) -- and the author speaks with the players and asks them what they remember (some actually get it wrong) and what happened.

Book Link >>

Going to add that to my list of reading material! Thanks!

TomGshotput · December 4, 2009 7:00AM

Despite (or maybe because of) the concussion, that career is heroic compared to the Ron Wirght tragedy: strikeout, ground into double play and triple play in his one game career as a DH

digicat · December 4, 2009 7:12AM

<< <i>Despite (or maybe because of) the concussion, that career is heroic compared to the Ron Wirght tragedy: strikeout, ground into double play and triple play in his one game career as a DH >>

Wow. That's an impressive dispaly of epic failure. They should call that the "Bizarro Cycle" or something.

AkbarClone · December 4, 2009 8:12AM

He is one of the many player collections I am working on. I don't think I have any doubles, but I'll check if you want.

digicat · December 4, 2009 8:23AM

Go look him up on sportlots.com. His stuff is pretty cheap. His 2004 Bowman's Best auto'ed rookie is listed for $4 over there. His other cards are around 18 cents.

The amazing and tragic career of Adam Greenberg

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