Trenidad Hubbard dreamed, then made bigs over 10 seasons
Into his seventh season with time in the majors in July 1999, Trenidad Hubbard had found ways to get to the majors, but he continued to work to stay there.
He spoke to The Los Angeles Daily News then about everything he had been through.
"I'm the guy who had the dream," Hubbard, then with the Dodgers, told The Daily News. "When I was growing up in Chicago, I was Rick Monday and Jose Cardenal and Ernie Banks. I knew that's what I wanted to do, play baseball in a big stadium. I didn't know that for the most part, it's a struggle to get up here. Sometimes an even harder struggle to stay there."
Hubbard ended up seeing the majors over a decade, getting into 476 total games and seeing 80 or more games in a season four times.
Hubbard's career began in 1986, taken by the Astros in the 12th round of the draft out of Southern University and A&M College in Louisiana. Hubbard was also credited early in his career as Trent Hubbard.
Hubbard started with the Astros at short-season Auburn. He made single-A Asheville in 1987 and single-A Osceola in 1988.
Going into 1989, Hubbard impressed both on and off the field, according to The Orlando Sentinel.
"I have never seen him in a bad mood or without a good word to say," Osceola General Manager Pat O'Connor told The Sentinel of Hubbard. "He's great in the clubhouse. He's always singing and rapping. He does it all. I'd take 25 Trent Hubbards."
Hubbard made AA Columbus and AAA Tucson in 1989, then continued at those levels through 1993, including in a move to the Rockies system.
In July 1994, in his ninth season as a pro, he debuted in Colorado. Hubbard saw 18 games that year and 24 in 1995. He saw 55 games in 1996, moving to the Giants mid-year.
Hubbard saw seven games with the Indians in 1997. He then became a veritable regular with the Dodgers in 1998 and 1999. He saw 94 games and hit .298 in 1998 and 82 games and hit .314 in 1999.
In September 1998, he hit a full-count solo home run that proved the difference in a 1-0 win, The Los Angeles Times wrote.
"That was the same pitch he struck me out on the last time he faced me," Hubbard told The Times afterward of the pitcher. "I was able to get around on it this time because it had some heat on it."
Hubbard continued in the majors into 2003, playing with the Braves, Orioles, Royals, Padres and Cubs. He last saw 10 games for the Cubs in 2003.
- Orlando Sentinel, Feb. 21, 1989: Astros
- Los Angeles Times, Sept. 21, 1998: Hubbard Is Quite Pleased to Provide Perez With Some Needed Assistance
- Los Angeles Daily News, July 13, 1999: On the Fringe
Made the Majors:1,437-31.6%-X
Never Made Majors:3,115-68.4%
