Not many people can say they've played until they're 40. Even fewer can say they did play that long and will retire after winning a Monty. But in the case of Damek Korbel, he can say he went out on top.
"It's time to hang them up" said Korbel after the Lumberjacks clinched the Monty Saturday night. "I think my time has come. The season didn't go quite how I would have liked on a personal stand point. It's never good to be traded twice in the same season. Not many can say they were traded twice and wind up on the team that traded you the first time" Korbel laughed from his locker. "But I'm thankful Portland did that as it allowed me to go out a Champion. Very few people get the opportunity to go out on top. I can say I did that."
Korbel was traded by Portland to Vancouver earlier in the season as a salary cutting measure but reacquired the veteran shortstop to help be a backup shortstop to Sammy McNeill.
Korbel had a lackluster final campaign, hitting just .171/.200/.265 in 170 at-bats. Those numbers put him as a team worst -1.0 WAR. It came just one season after Korbel posted a 2.0 WAR during a season in which he hit .340, granted in just 42 games played due to injury.
Korbel will be able to go out saying he won a ring, his second of his career as he was a more pivotal part of the 2049 Las Vegas Hustlers squad that defeated Portland. However in this go around, Korbel saw no action. He was never inserted into any of the six Brewster games by manager Mons Raider. In fact, he didnt' see any action the entire post-season.
"Sure, you'd like to say you contributed something to the team and the win in the Monty" added Korbel. "But in the end, I was on the team and got to enjoy the celebration with my teammates."
Korbel retires with 2,038 career hits and 196 Homeruns. He had 505 career doubles and a very respectable 42.8 career WAR.
