From Madison County to the Major Leagues, Lorenzo Cain retires as a Royal
Madison County to the Major Leagues never sounded better.
Or could be believed.
“You never know who’s watching,” Lorenzo Cain told MLB.com.
Cain, 37, the former Madison County and Tallahassee Community College baseball star, was honored by the Kansas City Royals Saturday as he signed a one-day contract so he could retire with the team.
A ceremony was held before the Royals’ game against Oakland at Kauffman Stadium. Cain’s wife, three children and mother were among those in attendance.
“You can’t put it into words” said Jeremy Haynes, Cain’s childhood best friend and early teammate.
“I’ve had the honor to watch with an all-access pass. Yesterday was amazing. Well deserved. He’s not a spotlight guy. He doesn’t want the attention. For him to have that moment yesterday in Kansas City was big time. Well deserved.”
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Lorenzo Cain wanted to play football, not baseball
Cain wanted to play youth football but his mother thought it was too dangerous.
Cain instead turned to baseball, which he first played as a sophomore at Madison County. He showed for practice in jeans and a borrowed glove. The right-hander initially hit cross-handed.
The rest, as they say, is history.
“So many things had to fall into place, and to be the person he is today,” Barney Myers, who coached Cain in high school, told the Democrat in a previous interview.
“It’s like a miracle, really unbelievable.”
Cain played seven of his 13 MLB seasons with the Royals, where he was known for his dazzling defense, infectious personality and clutch playoff performances.
He starred in centerfield and batted for third for the Royals when they won consecutive American League pennants in 2014 and 2015 and the World Series in ‘15. He was the 2014 ALCS MVP and finished third in AL MVP voting in 2015.
Cain, a two-time All-Star. finished with a .283 career average and played in 1,171 games with the Royals and Milwaukee Brewers.
Cain was drafted by the Brewers in the 17th round of the 2004 MLB Draft out of TCC. He resides in Oklahoma.
“This means more than you know,” Cain told the crowd.
“I’m just a kid from Madison County. Grew up in a very small town. Never played baseball until 10th grade. All it took was one scout to see me. Now I have an opportunity to sit here today and retire a Royal.”
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Royals salute former Madison County and TCC star Lorenzo Cain
