It's been a tough year for the Detroit Tigers.  Decimated my injuries, the Tigers are out of it in the AL Central after many expected them, not the Chicago White Sox to be pushing Minnesota.  No matter how bad a season this has been for Jim Leyland and company, there is one new member of the Tigers who will never forget this season: Catcher Max St. Pierre.

Max grew up in the French part of Canada where you wait for the lakes to freeze in October, lace up your skates and dream of playing in the NHL.  But somehow, Max got hooked on baseball and was drafted in the 17th round by the Tigers...in 1997.  978 games later, St. Pierre got a September call up.  It's probably based on his service to the organization, but it's a call up none the less.

Imagine, hanging in there for fourteen years for your big break.  And the road hasn't been easy.  St. Pierre has had problems at one time or another with his offense, defense and language skills (his primary language is French. )  But all that is behind him now as St. Pierre has finally made it to "the show" and will, according to manager Leyland, get some PT before his cup of coffee is empty.

I think that this is a great story, worthy of a crappy ESPN movie.  A man has a dream, works hard at it and finally gets his big chance.  Most likely, this will be the end of the line for Max and he will go quietly into the night, but hey, you never know.  For him right now, this is a great time to Max St. Pierre.

It is a lesson to us all.  Hang in there and maybe, just maybe you'll get what you wish for.  You may be huge success or you may go down in flames, but put the work in, show up on time and have a positive attitude and eventually, even fourteen years later, someone may notice you.  Good luck, Max.  You've earned this moment.  Enjoy every second.