CINCINNATI — Jeremy Hazelbaker arrived in the visitor’s clubhouse at Great American Ballpark around 1 p.m. Tuesday unsure if this would be his 79th game in the Major Leagues. The St. Louis Cardinals had to demote one player before their 7:10 p.m. game that night against the Reds, and Hazelbaker was a prime candidate to rejoin the Memphis Redbirds, the team’s Triple-A affiliate.
Back in Selma, Phil and Becky Hazelbaker each worked half days while they waited for a phone call from their son. They had learned not to make big plans because by the time those plans came around, Jeremy’s situation often had changed.