Passed over in that year's draft, Texas A&M product Pat Sweet did his best at showing his capabilities in June 1990, fresh off the plane to Alaska, The Anchorage Daily News wrote.
Handed the ball for his Alaska Summer League Peninsula team shortly after landing, Sweet went out and pitched seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball for the win, The Daily News wrote.
"I just got him off the plane at noon," an astonished Peninsula manager Bo Hall told The Daily News afterward. "I told him I was going to send him back home and bring him back in four days and take him off the plane again."
Sweet showed enough of what he could do at Peninsula to eventually sign a pro contract, with the independent Salt Lake City Trappers. His pro career ended up lasting four appearances.
Sweet's pro career began and ended that year at Salt Lake City, signed as an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M. He transferred to Texas A&M from Cerritos Junior College. He was also credited as Patrick Sweet.
At Texas A&M, Sweet received praise as he took a two-hitter into the ninth inning of a 3-2 March 1989 win, The Brian-College Station Eagle wrote.
"He would have been tough for anybody to beat today," Texas A&M coach Mark Johnson told The Eagle. "I don't know if we could ask him to be any better than he was today."
But his work at Texas A&M wasn't enough to get him drafted, or signed. Instead, he went to Alaska to the Alaska Baseball League and the Peninsula Oilers.
That July, The Peninsula Clarion tracked his route to Alaska. Peninsula's Hall needed to convince Sweet to come, arguing scouts would get one more look at him.
"At first I told Coach Hall I needed a couple days to talk it over with my parents, then I thought hey, maybe if I give myself one more shot," Sweet told The Clarion.
Sweet's shot then paid off with Salt Lake City. He joined that squad in mid-August and soon won his first game in relief.
Overall, Sweet saw those four outings. He gave up three earned in 8 innings of work for a 3.38 ERA to mark the extent of his pro career.
- Brian-College Station Eagle, March 4, 1989: Aggies win 16th straight, 3-2
- Anchorage Daily News, July 14, 1990: Texas A&M pitcher proves only wimps get jet lag
- Peninsula Clarion, July 27, 1990: Sweet faces career's final inning
Made the Majors:1,426-31.9
Never Made Majors:3,045-68.1%-X
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