After having a seemingly good enough year at single-A in 1988, Cubs minor leaguer Matt Cakora found himself starting the 1989 campaign back in single-A and disappointed, his hometown Tampa Tribune wrote.
But he set to work and, later that year, he made the Cubs' AA Charlotte squad.
"That bothered me because I felt like I wasn't progressing," Cakora told The Tribune. "But the organization has been honest with me. They said if I performed well as a closer at Charleston I'd get moved up."
Cakora made AA that year in his third season as a pro. He played in just one more campaign. He didn't make it higher.
Cakora's career began in 1987, signed by the Cubs as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Tampa.
At Tampa in May 1987, Cakora not only worked at school and baseball, he also worked at a side job to help support his wife and daughter, The Montgomery Advertiser wrote. Tampa was set to play Troy State in the Division II World Series.
"You don't want to say it bothers you," Cakora told The Advertiser of his long days. "But sometimes it's hard to get motivated. You get so tired because you have to get up, go to work, go to school, then to practice. At the end of the day, you have to be a father."
Cakora started with the Cubs that year between rookie Wytheville and short-season Geneva. He went 3-3, with a 2.57 ERA in 26 outings, one start.
He moved to single-A Charleston, W.V., for 1988. He went 1-1 there, with a 4.13 ERA in 39 outings, four starts.
After starting 1989 back at Charleston, he made AA Charlotte by June. In one game that month, Cakora ran into some trouble, giving up the lead, The Charlotte Observer wrote.
"Matt Cakora's going to have to learn to keep the ball down when he comes into a ball game," Charlotte manager Jim Essian told The Observer afterward.
Cakora saw 34 relief outings at Charlotte. He went 0-6, with a 6.21 ERA over 31 relief outings.
For 1990, he moved to independent high-A Miami. He saw 45 outings, three starts. He went 1-3, with a 3.56 ERA to end his career.
- Montgomery Advertiser, May 21, 1987: Days Too Short For Tampa Pitcher
- Charlotte Observer, June 18, 1989: Knights Drop 2 To Braves
- Tampa Tribune, Aug. 1, 1989: Cakora impresses the right people
Made the Majors:1,386-32.5%
Never Made Majors:2,877-67.5%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:563
10+ Seasons in the Minors:347
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