Veteran first baseman Rafael Palmeiro will launch his unlikely comeback bid with the indy ball Cleburne Railroaders, he tells Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. He’ll play there with his son, former minor-leaguer Patrick Palmeiro.
Needless to say, it had always seemed a longshot that the former star would earn a chance with an affiliated organization. He announced late last year that he was hoping to make it back to the majors for the first time since 2005 — when he was already forty years of age.
Palmeiro could still hit when last he suited up. In ’05, he turned in a .266/.339/.447 slash with 18 home runs and as many walks as strikeouts (43 apiece) in 422 plate appearances. Of course, that was 13 years ago and he was already fading from his prior levels of productivity. Other than a first, brief taste of the majors way back in 1986, Palmeiro never ended a season with an overall batting line that fell below league average. He stands as one of only five players to accumulate 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.
Those stats don’t mean as much as they might have, of course, given that Palmeiro ultimately tested positive for steroids. He has since steadfastly denied that he knowingly used steroids, though the matter has perhaps kept him from reaching the Hall of Fame.
jakec77
I’m his age and I can’t even sit through an entire game anymore. Good for him.
baseballpun
You should start taking HGH.
Ironman_4life
Hell im 40 and i cant sit through an entire game without something hurting.
deweybelongsinthehall
LOL “ironman”.
Sadly I’m older but in the same boat. Although I’d love to be at tonight’s Yankee-Red Sox game, the couch, fridge and “reading” room do me just fine…
majorflaw
“ . . . the matter has kept him from reaching the HoF.”
Like to see you prove that “fact”, Jeff.
mattblaze13
I called Mike Francesa and broke the news on air when he first announced his comeback over the winter. Mike said yeah right I’ll believe it when i see it. I wanna see him go deep just in spite #getalife
nutbunnies
Man, GMs won’t even sign a first baseman/DH that’s over 29 to a major league deal. He’s insane.
MrMet62
Cheater back then; clown now.
Fire Jon Daniels
There is a greater than 0% chance he suits up for the Rangers at some point this season.
Monkey’s Uncle
*insert joke here about “Railroaders” being an ironic team name for a player who tried to lie to Congress and the American public*
yourcubreporter
Woulda hit 3000 without help, great hitter. Wouldn’t have sniffed 500 HRs, though.
baseballhobo
When I think of Palmeiro, I always think about the Gold Glove he won in 1999 after only playing 28 games in the field.
ernestofigueroa87
Who are you to judge whether those statistics mean as much or not?
jeff todd,you don’t mean as much as others.
And I don’t like Palmiero.
RiverCatsFilms
LMAO
camdenyards46
Time to go to take a trip to Cleburne!
bobtillman
I didn’t realize there was alcohol in those scotch and waters I was drinking last night…..
hiflew
He’s still a HOFer in my book, just a HOFer that did drugs. There is no such thing as a pill or a cream that will make you hit 500 homers or get 3000 hits. Otherwise, EVERYONE in the Mitchell Report would have been a part of that club. What he did was no different than the greenies of the 70s or the cocaine of the 80s. Doesn’t make him a role model by any means, but didn’t make him a great ballplayer either.
brucewayne
Oh there are is a HUGE difference between steroids
brucewayne
and speed
brucewayne
and cocaine . Especially when it comes to workout recovery and athletic performance!
hiflew
Other than your word, you didn’t refute anything I wrote and it took you three posts just to do that. I’m gonna stick with my opinion.
HarveyD82
wow. only 4 all star nods….
jekporkins
I don’t even think he sniffed an MVP either. It was a product of the times. There were always better 1st basemen around. Heck if I recall correctly he was never even the best player on his own team. He was just a consistent hitter throughout his career.
For those arguing it wasn’t PEDs that keep him out of the HOF, you’re crazy. He not only tested positive, but he tested positive right after being on nationwide TV swearing to Congress he didn’t use steroids. For a player to not even get 5% to stay on the ballet though he is only one of four players to EVER have 500 homers and 3000 hits tells you everything.
phantomofdb
Would it have been that difficult to tell us where Cleburne actually is? I’ve never heard of the place. Kinda feel like I shouldn’t have to go on a google search after reading an article to get the whole information.
Anyway, pretty neat that he got a deal somewhere – but I can’t imagine it ever extends past that little Texas town
mike156
Cleburne Texas, population 29,377. Not far from the 8th arrondissement de Paris.
Meow Meow
Does this league award a Gold Glove? Maybe he can score another one.
jeffsells
Too many very good but not great players in the HOF now. How about a new idea? Each year, of all eligible retirees, 1 can be added from each league. If you want to add more, for every guy you add, you have to remove one already enshrined. Great players would still get in. Marginal candidates, probably not. Too many guys are in because the voters felt they had to pick someone, not because they were incredible….
jimmertee
Seems to me that Palmeiro just wants to play with his kid. What a great thing. There’s no way he’s getting back to the modern big leagues without chemical help, the human body cannot do what is necessary at age 50 whatever, regardless of the genes.
lasershow7
Since Ivan Rodriguez is in…then Bonds, Clemens, and Palmeiro should get in.