a shadow of a career

in my Websters New Collegiate Dictionary copy written in 1973 (yes it is the only middle school graduation present that I still have) the word shadow has several definitions including:

a) an imperfect and faint representation
b) an imitation of something
c) a source of gloom and unhappiness
d) not functioning in a official capacity
e) of questionable merit

Knowing all of that I think this card of Kevin Orie (1998 Pinnacle # 71) and his shadow fits. Looks like Orie has a scared look on his face, is running from success and his career is well . . . all of the above work.

Orie was billed as the next Ron Santo for the Cubs after being drafted in the first round of the 1993 amateur draft. All those expectations lasted about a year as Orie never could produce numbers anywhere close to staying in major leagues.

Interesting to note is that Orie did have a respectable year in 1997, earning him enough rookie of the year votes to place 11th, yet from then on it was down hill. The Cubs traded Orie to the Marlins mid season in 1998, and Orie disappointed them too.

After appearing in just 77 games in 1999 the Marlins sent Orie to the Dodgers which began Orie's minor league travel odyssey; to the Royals, Yankees, Phillies and then back to the Cubs in 2002 to play 13 games with the big boys and then off for more travel signing with the Indians, Astros and Brewers yet never making it back to the senior circuit, finally "retiring" in 2006.

His career fits the above definitions of a shadow very well.