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Ex-groundskeeper beats team that drafted him
- Updated: September 14, 2016
SAN FRANCISCO — Jake Smith got his start in baseball as a member of the Giants organization, so it was only fitting that his first victory would come at AT&T Park, where the Padres rallied for a 6-4 win on Tuesday night.
Of course, when you consider what Smith’s first baseball job entailed, that first Major League victory should register as something of a fairytale.
The righty reliever served as a groundskeeper for the Augusta GreenJackets, the Giants’ Class A affiliate, before he was given a tryout and eventually drafted by San Francisco in the 48th round in 2011.
Smith was, quite literally, a pitcher who rakes.
“It’s a pretty cool story,” said Padres manager Andy Green. “For him, it’s something he’ll never forget for the rest of his life. … I’m sure there’s about 150 text messages on his phone right now. The groundskeeper got a win today.”
Indeed, he did. But it didn’t …
