Pat Connaughton still spends most game nights in the NBA biding his time, sitting at the end of the Portland Trail Blazers' bench and waiting for his name to be called. As a second-year player, his minutes are up, he's playing better and he's learned a lot. He's still optimistic about his pro basketball career, despite the fact that he's spending most of it as a spectator.
But the Orioles selected Connaughton in the fourth round of baseball's first-year player draft 2 1/2 years ago ago, and they're still hoping the $428,000 signing bonus they gave him then will pay off.