After almost giving up the game a year earlier, eight-season minor leaguer Bruce Dostal finally got his call to the majors in June 1994, with the Orioles.
To The Washington Post, he expressed satisfaction with just being able to be there.
"I'm happy I stuck with my gut feeling," Dostal told The Post about sticking with the game. "... Just a day (in the majors) makes the last eight years worth it."
Dostal ended up getting more than a day, but not much more. He also ended up not getting into a game. He ultimately spent just four days in the bigs. He didn't make it back.
Dostal's career began in 1987, taken by the Dodgers in the 17th round of the draft out of William Patterson University in New Jersey.
Dostal started with the Dodgers at rookie Great Falls. He hit .279 over 62 games. He then made single-A Bakersfield in 1988 and single-A Vero Beach in 1989.
He made AA San Antonio for 53 games in 1990. He then moved to the Phillies and AA Reading for 1991. He split time between Reading and AAA Scranton in 1992. He hit .228 in 98 games on the year.
Dostal then started 1993 at Scranton, only to get released after appearing in just six games. Soon, the Orioles came calling and offered him a spot at AAA Rochester. After discussing it with his wife, Dostal agreed, he told The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader that May.
"We just kind of decided that this year I committed myself to playing baseball," Dostal told The Times Leader. "Another year of playing isn't going to hurt."
Dostal hit .296 over 88 games at Rochester. He then started 1994 back there. Then, early that June, he got his call to Baltimore.
Four days later, the Orioles sent him back to AAA. In between, he sat on the bench, The Baltimore Sun wrote.
"I got a cup of coffee, but I didn't get a chance to sip it," Dostal told The Sun after getting sent back. "It was too hot. The pennant race made it too hot."
Dostal spent the rest of the season at Rochester. He played one more season at AAA, with the Rangers to end his career.
Dostal has since gone on to return to New Jersey and found True North Title Services in Parsippany and serve as an assistant baseball coach at a local high school.
- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, May 23, 1993: Dostal flying high
- Washington Post, June 11, 1994: Orioles Notebook
- Baltimore Sun, June 15, 1994: Dostal's cup of coffee can't keep him up
Made the Majors:1,292-33.6%-X
Never Made Majors:2,553-66.4%
5+ Seasons in the Majors:528
10+ Seasons in the Minors:322
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