Duaner Sanchez Gets a Fresh Start in San Diego

It's easy to point to where it all went wrong for Duaner Sanchez. On July 30, 2006, Sanchez was enjoying a breakout season with the Mets. He was an important part of a bullpen that was leading the team to a runaway division title. But then he went on a late-night cab ride in Miami and his taxi was struck by a drunk driver, wrecking his shoulder and putting him out for the season. For the Mets, it led them to make the panic move of trading Xavier Nady for Roberto Hernandez and Oliver Perez, and many feel that was a big reason why the Mets fell short of the World Series.

For Sanchez, the downturn was much worse.

Sanchez tried to return during the 2007 season, but didn't do himself any favors by coming to camp out of shape, and missed another year due to injury. In 2008 Sanchez finally returned, but he wasn't quite the same as the only thing he could do was go from being a part of one of the best bullpens in baseball to contributing to one of the worst. So Sanchez was released by the Mets to save a roster bonus.

Sanchez will now hope to rebound as a member of the San Diego Padres. The team signed him to a minor-league contract. Sanchez will get a chance to revive his career setting up former teammate Heath Bell, but will somehow have to make up the velocity he lost as he's having trouble topping 87 on the gun these days. He'll have a long road ahead to come back to form, and we'll soon find out at this career crossroads whether Sanchez will return to the elite, or be stuck in mediocrity. We'll also be left to wonder what could have been if Sanchez's cab was about five seconds faster than it was that night in 2006.