Yeah, I guess you can count me as a believer in Karma. Not completely to the point where I’m a Pedro Cerrano voodoo nut, but to the point where I believe in the notion that things can go around and come around. With that in mind, I present the case of Jeremy Bonderman. Bonderman’s a 24-year-old stud pitcher with the Tigers, now in his fifth full season with Detroit. Presently, Bonderman is 8-0, standing alone as an undefeated starter in baseball. But he really hasn’t been that dominant this year. So what’s my point? Bonderman’s benefiting from karma.
The fact that Bonderman is 24 and pitching his fifth full season for the Tigers means he was a member of the 43-119 squad back in 2003. At the time, Bonderman was a 20-year-old rookie who failed to receive any semblance of run support. As a result, he wound up going 6-19. Such a horrendous season could’ve scarred him for life (see Greinke, Zach). Not the case. Talent and confidence prevailed, and Bonderman has rallied to the point where his career record is now an even .500 at 53-53. So while Bonderman hasn’t earned an 8-0 record through strong starts (he’s given up five runs on four occasions this year), he certainly deserves it.
Bonderman’s career is an excellent lesson for young players stuck on bad teams to not get discouraged. Giving it some time, you never know how things might change.
