'One at-bat' player strikes out smiling
Adam Greenberg takes his cuts Tuesday night for the Miami Marlins.
October 2nd, 2012
04:01 PM ET

'One at-bat' player strikes out smiling

Update 8:32 p.m.: Adam Greenberg struck out on three pitches from Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. Greenberg was pinch-hitting for Marlins left fielder Bryan Petersen at the top of the order with the Marlins leading 2-0.

The Marlins Stadium public address system played Aerosmith's "Dream On" as Greenberg, wearing No. 10, walked up to the plate and took his place in the left-hand batter's box. He took a strike from Dickey, swung at and missed the second pitch and waved at a pitch around his chin for the third strike.

Manager Ozzie Guillen gives Adam Greenberg a hug after Greenberg's belated first major-league at-bat Tuesday night in Miami.

The crowd cheered loudly for him as he returned to the dugout, where his one-day-only teammates congratulated him and slapped the beaming ballplayer on the back.

MLB.com quickly posted video of the brief at-bat.

The world of baseball and its fans greeted the moment with a wave of warm-and-fuzzy tweets:

[tweet https://twitter.com/MLB_PR/status/253292629612171266%5D

[tweet https://twitter.com/JPosnanski/status/253292468202770432%5D

[tweet https://twitter.com/KaufmanDavid/status/253293345399508994%5D

[tweet https://twitter.com/lulyyM28/status/253293274658373632%5D

[tweet https://twitter.com/LoMoDimples/status/253291231776477185%5D

Original post: Adam Greenberg signed a one-day contract with the Miami Marlins on Tuesday afternoon in anticipation of taking a single at-bat in the night's game against the New York Mets.

Greenberg, now 31, was hit in the head by a pitch in his first and only Major League Baseball plate appearance, with the Chicago Cubs in

Adam Greenberg today

2005 and has not played in the majors since. A hit-by-pitch does not count as an official at-bat, so Greenberg technically has never batted in the major leagues.

He petitioned the Cubs to let him come back for one official at-bat with them, but team officials turned him down. The Marlins agreed last week to help Greenberg make his dream come true. Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said he plans to use him as a pinch-hitter in the middle of Tuesday night's game, perhaps in the pitcher's spot in the lineup, according to MLB.com.

"I'm ready to help the team," Greenberg said in a tweet on the Marlins' account. "The Marlins are an amazing organization. ... I couldn't be more thankful."

 Post by:
Filed under: Baseball • Florida • Sports
soundoff (15 Responses)
  1. Bailey

    He was a Cub. 'Nuff said.

    October 2, 2012 at 4:33 pm | Report abuse |
  2. talkic.com

    I hope that he doesn't get hit again.

    October 2, 2012 at 4:36 pm | Report abuse |
  3. david bennett

    ozzie is the man might have made a silly statement about castro but to me this thing here makes him a hero in my book!!!

    October 2, 2012 at 4:40 pm | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      I agree.
      We miss him dearly.
      He is an interesting character; colorful as all get out.
      Robin Ventura is great, don't get me wrong, but I love Ozzie.

      October 2, 2012 at 6:34 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Well, figures.

    Yes, the jerky boys were funny at one point....

    October 2, 2012 at 5:05 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Marko

    It's an anti-semtic thing. It's the Cubs. Bravo to the Marlins for doing this for him. I hope the Mets throw one right down the middle, so he can get a hit, and be listed in the baseball encyclopedia with a 1.000 lifetime batting average. How cool would that be for him!!!!

    October 2, 2012 at 5:25 pm | Report abuse |
    • KenTre

      Anti-semitic? Can you be any dumber? Greenberg was on the Cubs when he got hit. And, Theo Epstein is the current general manager. Or are you also postulating that the Cubs ordered the beaning and that Theo Epstein is a crypto-Nazi?

      October 3, 2012 at 3:23 pm | Report abuse |
  6. banasy©

    Best of luck to him.
    I hope he hits a home run...

    October 2, 2012 at 6:29 pm | Report abuse |
    • jkavcnn

      That would be cool, wouldn't it? What if they walk him, or he hits a sacrifice? Still no official AB; think Ozzie would leave him in for another chance?

      October 2, 2012 at 7:11 pm | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      Knowing the kind of person Ozzie is, I would say yes...he's never been one to shy away from controversy, lol.
      And since it's a one *day* contract, and not a one *at bat* contract, I'd bet he would...he's that kind of guy.
      Yep, I bet he would.

      October 2, 2012 at 7:24 pm | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      Ah, well, he got a chance at his dream, he went out smiling, AND got a hug from Ozzie...well done, I say!
      (A homer would have been icing, but hey, he got his dream!)

      October 2, 2012 at 9:38 pm | Report abuse |
  7. jkavcnn

    Hey, thanks for the reblog!

    October 2, 2012 at 8:02 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Sinfully Yours

    Why didn't they just let the kid play the whole game? It's not like the Mets or the Marlins are going anywhere.

    October 3, 2012 at 6:49 am | Report abuse |
  9. Sébastien

    c'est un supeeeeeeeeeeeeer joueur, incroyable, magnifique, du jamais vu...

    October 4, 2012 at 4:12 pm | Report abuse |
  10. showandprovekev

    Starling Martes first at bat this year was a bit better.. He hit a home run of the first pitch of his career i believe.

    October 6, 2012 at 1:26 pm | Report abuse |
« Back to main