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Orioles pitcher Joe Gunkel in the zone as substitute teacher during offseason

Two offseasons ago, Orioles right-hander Joe Gunkel needed to find a job. Like most minor league players making their way up through organizations clinging to a big league dream, it was important to land a gig that could not just help him make ends meet, but also be flexible enough to not interrupt his preparation for the upcoming season.

Gunkel landed in a place much different than the minor league ballparks frequented during the season, spending the past two offseasons inside high school classrooms working as a substitute teacher in the Lenape School District in central New Jersey.