Better Late Than Never

I don't know if any of you all remember Chris Coste debuting for the Philadelphia Phillies as a 33-year-old rookie. In a game where youth and potential are highly valued, it is amazing that a player supposedly past his prime was able to actually receive a decent amount of playing time. This year, there could possibly be a 32-year-old rookie which is still very cool. Randy Ruiz is hoping to make receive first significant playing time in the major leagues this year with the Blue Jays. According to this article I read on Yahoo Sports, if Ruiz received the same amount of at-bats that Hank Aaron took during his career, he would have 1075 home runs. Granted, many of these home runs have possibly been due to the fact that his weaknesses have not been discovered by major-league pitching. Nevertheless, this number is very impressive and shows the enormous power potential Ruiz has. This article also contributes to the idea that perhaps, best case scenario, he could turn into a modern-day Hank Sauer. Sauer began his career at the age of 31, but he played 15 more years and even won an MVP award. However, worst case scenario, Ruiz might not make the team and continue his trek to the majors. I guess we will not know until the end of this month, but I for one at least hope that Ruiz finally gets his shot at the major leagues. His minor league numbers are certainly good enough, but who knows what the unpredictable spring will bring for Ruiz and the rest of the hopeful rookies?