Rob Kaminsky reflects on being traded to the Indians
Baseball is a business, and pitching prospect Rob Kaminsky learned that the hard way when he was traded to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Brandon Moss.
Kaminsky, the Cardinals 2013 first round pick, wrote about his experience traded on his blog, 22's Two Cents.
"Upon entering professional baseball, I was told by numerous people that it's a business first and a game second. As a high school draftee, I did not understand," Kaminsky wrote, "Now I understand."
Kaminksky describes how he learned of being traded, "I was on the bus after a series win versus the Brewers High A team in Florida. Around midnight, I got a phone call from a Cardinals representative regarding a trade I was involved in," Kaminsky wrote.
"Thirty seconds into the phone call, I discovered that my time with the St. Louis Cardinals was over. Just like that, my career path was re-routed. I had literally a few hours to pack my stuff and say my goodbyes to my teammates, coaches, trainers, before I was scheduled to leave that next day," he wrote. "Simply put, I was no longer affiliated with my first professional team, all in the matter of a few seconds."
Kaminsky was playing for the Cardinals Advanced A affiliate, the Palm Beach Cardinals, when he was traded. Now he was to report to Lynchburg, Virgina to the Indians Advance A affiliate, the Lynchburg Hillcats.
"It will not be a breeze to 'start over' with a new organization," Kaminsky wrote, "but the support makes it much easier to swallow." Kaminsky and his family recieved hundreds of messages in support from Indians and Cardinals fans.
Kaminsky played almost three seasons in the Cardinals system: "I had a fantastic experience with the Cardinals for which I will be absolutely forever grateful," he wrote. "But now I am a member of the Cleveland Indians, and I couldn't be any more excited."
Most importantly for Tribe fans: "My family and friends in New Jersey are now officially die-hard Cleveland fans," Kaminsky wrote. "And yes, it can happen overnight. Our flags, gear, and the stickers on my families' cars are all already changed."
Kaminsky ended his blog with five words: "Can't wait to get to work."
With the trade Kaminsky becomes the No. 3 prospect in the Indians system per MLB Pipeline. In two starts with the Hillcats, Kaminsky is 0-1 with a 3.72 ERA. With the Cardinals in 17 starts, Kaminsky had a 6-5 record and 2.09 ERA.
