The 41st Man

The 41st Man

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Kirby Snead's most "wild year" in pro baseball took him to Staten Island – and he's forcing his way back to the majors
“Just the life of a baseball player, I guess," Snead said during an interview, reflecting on his whirlwind independent season – on and off the field.
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Mark Suleymanov
Brett de Geus thought his career was over. Now he’s riding MLB’s relentless roster carousel: “Hell of a position"
“I think you definitely learn that stability is probably the number one luxury in baseball,” de Geus said, nearly an hour into a wide-ranging interview…
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Mark Suleymanov
Bobby Jenks closed out a World Series – and opened doors to baseball's next generation: "Owe my career to that man"
"I'm not afraid anymore," Jenks told best friend Toby Hall, just days before his death.
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Mark Suleymanov
Jim Abbott's no-hitter serves as a thread of inspiration in new ESPN documentary 'Southpaw'
“I didn’t think I’d be crying today,” Yankees announcer Michael Kay said during a panel following a New York screening of ESPN’s new documentary on Jim…
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Mark Suleymanov

June 2025

Brent Rooker "actively" believed he wasn't good enough – then came a major league effort to find out for sure
"I didn’t really see a way to break through because I didn’t have the success I had needed to," Rooker said in an exclusive interview.
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Mark Suleymanov
Fruit baskets to fruitfulness: How Raúl Ibañez became an MLB All-Star after every team passed on him – twice
“The most flagrant example I saw of teams missing out on a guy."
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Mark Suleymanov
Scott Blewett's name has made him a punchline –and MLB's roster churn made him disposable
Scott Blewett can’t escape the puns—or the transactions. As he changes teams for the third time in two months, he’s still waiting for a shot to stick.
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Mark Suleymanov

May 2025

The chaotic, historic, borderline-comedic year that made Oliver Drake MLB's most wanted unwanted man
In 2018, Drake endured a volatile season of short leashes, broken leases, and a relentless stretch best encapsulated by a 10-second exchange from a…
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Mark Suleymanov
The quirky ex-Mets player who demanded to be DFA'd - and nearly retired a World Series hero
Jose Cardenal played in the major leagues for 18 seasons. In his final campaign, the mercurial veteran forced his way into a better position - using the…
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Mark Suleymanov
Welcome to The 41st Man
“Please, come in and have a seat.”
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Mark Suleymanov
© 2025 Mark Suleymanov
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