When Rob Ducey returned from Japan in 1997, he had difficulty finding a major league organization that wanted him. He finally signing on with Seattle, playing 76 games for them that year.
Now working as a scout for the Rays, Ducey is working to make it easier for free agents to showcase their talent major league teams.
"It wasn't that I couldn't play anymore, but there was nothing in the system on me," Ducey told MLB.com earlier this month. "I'd played well over there, and still couldn't find a job."
Ducey spoke as the organizer of the Professional Free Agent Showcase, designed to do just that, help free agents find teams.
Ducey spent parts of 13 seasons in the majors, that season in 1997 was his ninth. A native of Toronto, Ducey was signed by his hometown team in 1984. He made AA in 1986 and AAA then the big club in 1987.
He debuted in Toronto on May 1, playing in 34 games for the Blue Jays that summer. He'd be up and down between Toronto and AAA Syracuse for the next five seasons, with a high of 41 games played in 1991.
Ducey was shipped off to the Angels in 1992, playing in an unremarkable 31 games. He was released at season's end, signing with the Rangers. After 1994, Ducey was off to Japan, playing two seasons with the Nippon Ham Fighters.
After his return to North America, Ducey made stops in Seattle, Philadelphia, Toronto, Philadelphia again and Montreal.
Ducey's last two stops garnered the two big pieces of Ducey trivia: He was essentially traded for himself and was the first to play on the Canadian trifecta.
On July 26, 2000, Ducey was sent by the Phillies to the Blue Jays for minor leaguer John Sneed. Ducey played five games for the Blue Jays before being traded again Aug. 7, back to the Phillies, completing a trade for fellow 1990 CMC setter Mickey Morandini.
Then, on June 12, 2001, Ducey signed with the Expos, making him the first of only two native Canadians to play for the Blue Jays, Expos and the Canadian Olympic team, Matt Stairs being the other.
The MLB.com article from Feb. 2, 2010: Showcase aims to expose talent to teams
Read about another Ducey player showcase, a memorabilia wall at the Cambridge, Ontario Applebees
1990 CMC Tally
Cards Reviewed: 55/880 - 6.3%
Made the Majors: 33 - 60%
Never Made the Majors: 22 - 40%
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 13
10+ Seasons in the Minors: 17
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