33-year-old called up to the major leagues makes his 13-year wait count: 'I'm going out hacking'

Drew Maggi played 1,155 games in the minor leagues over the course of 13 seasons. Up until last month, he had the sneaking suspicion that his shot at Major League fame had come and gone. Nevertheless, he persevered and kept swinging for the fences.

The 33-year-old learned on April 22 that he was being called up to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates — what he reckoned was a "dream come true."

While the crowd at his debut game on Wednesday was overjoyed to see him, they ultimately saw him strike out.

Maggi later learned the Pirates had optioned him back to Double-A Altoona, meaning his long wait may have ultimately been for naught. However, the Pirates kept him on for its doubleheader against the Washington Nationals, permitting him one last shot to leave his mark.

Maggi did not disappoint.

The journey to the plate

TheBlaze previously reported that prior to his summons to the major leagues, Maggi had contemplated calling it quits.

"You always believe that you can get another shot, but as you get older, you have that in your mind: 'This could be it for me,'" he said.

However, he never caved to doubt or despair.

Calix Crabbe, the Altoona Curve manager and the Pirates' assistant hitting coordinator, told Maggi seated amidst his Curve teammates last month, "Maggi, you're going to get an opportunity to move up."

Maggi appeared dumbstruck until Crabbe confirmed the news with a hug and a handshake, at which point he leapt up and said, "Let's f****** go!"

Strike out

UPI News reported that Maggi made his Major League entrance as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth inning of the Pirates' 8-1 home game win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 27. He had replaced veteran designated hitter Andrew McCutchen.

The crowd erupted with excitement, giving the emotionally overwhelmed 33-year-old a standing ovation as he approached the plate.

"I didn't even know what to do," Maggi said on the AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh broadcast. "[The crowd] was cheering me on. I never expected that. I thought I'd make my debut and it would be a normal at-bat."

Despite the fanfare, Maggi was unable to make good on this first opportunity.

According to UPI, he fouled off a 93.5-mph fastball, then received an automatic strike for a timer violation. After a foul ball, he missed a low-and-inside slider, thereby striking out.

Although the Pirates handily won the game, Maggi no doubt felt a sense of personal loss; especially when days later, he was optioned back to the Altoona Curve.

The 'perfect hit'

With the understanding that he was on his way back to the minor leagues, Maggi maintained his resolve Saturday during the Pirates' doubleheader against the Washington Nationals. His time came in the seventh inning of the second game of the day, which the Pirates ultimately took in a 16-1 victory. Maggi helped put one of those points on the board.

Yahoo! Sports reported that facing off with Nationals pitcher Hobie Harris, Maggi fouled two and missed two.

"It was do or die," he later told reporters. "I know, of all people, that this can end very quickly. Who knows where it goes from here? Maybe I never get back up here, and that was it. That was going through my head the whole day, so it was kind of like, 'You know what? I'm swinging. I'm going out hacking.'"

Maggi successfully lined a 2-2 splitter into left field for an RBI single, putting his team up 13-0 and driving the crowd wild.

Upon reflection, Maggi later stated that he was "not trying to do too much. It was like the perfect hit, too, 'cause I saw it go right through the middle, and it's so vivid in my mind right now. ... I was so happy I got it done, got that weight lifted off my shoulders."

The crowd gave Maggi a sendoff he won't soon forget:

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