Having come so close so often to giving up on his major league dream, Manny Barreda knows there’s only one surefire way to keep it alive: as long as you have a uniform, you have a chance.
The 32-year-old Barreda has worn his fair share of them over his 15-season professional career through the minors and the Mexican League that this week finally delivered him to the big leagues with the Orioles.
Yet even with this rebuilding club, a veritable land of opportunity for second-chancers and baseball vagabonds to finally break through, Barreda grew so discouraged he had to be convinced not to walk away.