Farewell Frequent Flyer: A Thank You to Kevin Quackenbush
Kevin “The Quack” Quackenbush was drafted by the Padres in the 8th round of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft. On October 2, 2017 he was granted free agency and just six days later he was signed by the Cincinnati Reds. So, we say thank you and farewell to the man who came in and did whatever the Padres needed without hesitation.
It was April 25, 2014, Quackenbush had recently been called up and his debut was on the horizon. He finished the day with 1.2 innings where he allowed two hits, two earned runs, one walk, and struck out one batter. Two days later on April 27, he was optioned back down to Triple-A El Paso.
Since then, he had been optioned by the Padres a total of 13 times in just two and a half seasons.
His rookie season, he was optioned a total of four times. In that season he finished with a total of 54.1 innings pitched in 56 games. He managed a respectable 2.48 ERA allowing just 15 runs and 18 walks while striking out 56. Respectable numbers for a rookie reliever, no doubt.
Yet somehow the Padres still saw it necessary he start the following season in the minors. He was called up towards the end of April of 2015, and optioned back to El Paso on June 11. He would later be recalled on June 24 and he went on to finish the season in San Diego with a 4.01 ERA in 58.1 innings pitched. He racked up 58 K’s with a 8.9 K/9 ratio.
Between 2016 and 2017, The Quack saw a total of 17 trips to-and-from San Diego and El Paso (which are 727 miles apart by the way).
If you do the math, that’s a total of 6, 179.5 miles over the course of just seven months. Most of expected for another trip back to San Diego when the rosters expanded in September, but…he was designated for assignment on September 1st, and sent outright to El Paso on September 6.
Now the future possible closer, the beard, the quack, the man who traveled a total of 33 times from San Diego to El Paso in his career has signed on with a different team.
We send him on his way after 198.2 innings pitched, 58 games finished, 179 strikeouts, 2 balks, and 843 batters faced when wearing the good ole Padre blue (and sometimes brown).
So, thank you Kevin Quackenbush, for being the possible future of the Padres. For traveling a total of 22,847 miles between San Diego and El Paso. For driving the tank when we needed it. And most importantly, for being readily available to do whatever the Padres needed, whenever they needed it.
You deserved better, good luck in Cincinnati.
Derek is a 22-year-old out of Lemon Grove, California. A burning passion for San Diego sports led him to pursue an opportunity to write and share about what’s going on with the teams in America’s Finest City. A young and aspiring sports journalist looking to grow his knowledge and expand his experience at any opportunity.