No Respect

Name: Kevin Cameron

Card Company: Fleer

Year: 2006

Team: San Diego Padres

Bats/Throws: R

Ht: 6'0

Have you ever been passed over for a job because you were viewed as expendable? Now imagine getting passed over for job because you’re as expendable and the guy they selected is a total failure. That my friends is the story of Kevin Cameron a guy that only lasted 3-years in the league but always put up good/respectable numbers, but always got passed over. The sad thing about his career is that he had the potential to be a quality player, but no one ever gave him a shot.

Kevin Cameron was originally selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 13th round of the 2001 MLB draft. He would spend 6-years in the Twins minor league system before being taken by the Padres in the Rule 5 draft. For those of you that don’t know the Rule 5 draft is where teams can draft another teams top prospect away from them. But they have to spend the entirety of the season on their major league roster even if they’re not ready for the major leagues yet. If they don’t keep the player on the roster the player gets offered up to his original team at half price. And in his first season in the MLB he wouldn’t disappoint, appearing in 48 games to the tune of a 2.79 ERA out of the Padres bullpen.

However, the next season in 2008 the injury bug would strike and prevent him from making the opening day roster. After a strained hamstring prevented him from work early in spring training, he was struck by an errant ball during batting practice that ended up fracturing his thumb. Despite this he was able to get in some work during spring training. But the Padres apparently didn’t think he got enough work in and had him start the year in triple-A, giving his spot to the “dynamic” Enrique Gonzalez (10.80 ERA in 2008). Eventually he was called back up to San Diego because the Padres

had realized that Gonzalez was a dumpster fire not worth keeping around. But after a complicated UCL injury that kept getting upgraded he was once again forced to the DL. However, after he recovered he would never make it out of triple-A for the Padres. Despite the fact had a 1.69 ERA in the minors the Padres somehow just couldn’t find a spot in their bullpen for him.

Here’s where the disrespect really begins though. After the 2008 season he signed with the Oakland A’s, who were looking to add bullpen depth. But quickly for whatever reason the Athletics decide that Cameron needs to spend the first part of the season in the minor leagues. This didn’t deter him however as he quickly made his way back to the MLB and pitched well for Oakland. But the A’s sent him down again because they really needed to have Vin Mazzaro and Edgar Gonzalez on the roster. For those of you that don’t know both Edgar Gonzalez and Vin Mazzaro are complete garbage (both finished with an ERA above 5.00), and shouldn’t have been picked over Cameron. Vin Mazzaro is so garbage that the Royals in 2011 rewarded him with a spot start where he finished with this stat line (2.1 innings pitched, 11 hits, 3 walks, 14 earned runs). But enough about him, let’s get back to Cameron who would never make it back to the big leagues after being sent down for Gonzalez and Mazzaro.

He would sign a minor league contract with the giants in 2010 but never pitched a game for them. And just like that a pitcher who only pitched three years finishes with a career 3.02 ERA and is never seen again. This is the difficulties of being a bullpen pitcher, because you will always be passed over for another mediocre starter.

If he would have actually gotten a shot who knows what could’ve happened? But what I do know is that the Giants, A’s and Padres are all garbage right now so at least there’s that.

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