Khalil Greene turns 36 today

It does not feel like it's been over six years since Khalil Greene last played in a major league game, but the calendar doesn't lie. A Cardinal at the time, Greene struck out in his final plate appearance, just as he did in his last trip to the plate as a member of the Padres over a year earlier. As you may recall, Greene's 2008 season ended a couple months early when he broke his hand punching a locker following his hundredth strikeout of the year. He was traded to St. Louis after the season for Mark Worrell and a player to be named later who turned out to be Luke Gregerson. The Padres got five stellar seasons out of Gregerson before trading him for Seth Smith, who turned in his best offensive season before being traded to Seattle for Brandon Maurer, who was very good out of the Padres' bullpen this season and is under club control until 2020. While San Diego definitely came out on top in that trade, they still haven't found an answer at shortstop; 20 players have been used there since Greene's last game with the team, and few have even approached being acceptable.

The Padres' home run leader at shortstop, both in a season and over a career, Greene has been out of the game since leaving Texas Rangers spring training in 2010. Since then Greene has been unreachable, both to former teammates and journalists wishing to interview him, fulfilling his desire for anonymity and making good on what he told teammate Adam Wainwright in 2009:

"When I get done with baseball, you will probably never see me or hear of me again"