ORONO, Maine -- In this edition of the 'Alumni Spotlight', presented by Dirigo Pines, we catch up with 14-year Major League Baseball veteran, UMaine Sports Hall of Fame inductee, and three-time All-American, Mark Sweeney.

Former University of Maine baseball star, Mark Sweeney, first had his sights on football in Maine.

Sweeney committed to the UMaine looking to be the quarterback for the football team. When asked why he chose to attend UMaine, he shared a story about his recruitment trip for football. Sweeney and a couple of other UMaine football players walked into Memorial Gym, also known as "The Pit", and saw their teammates playing pick-up basketball. They decided to join in, and Sweeney said he could feel the family atmosphere that this team shared. This played a huge role in why he committed to UMaine. Shortly after being at UMaine, Sweeney decided to play for the baseball team and became a two-sport athlete, before switching solely to baseball.

It was difficult for Sweeney, the 1993 North Atlantic Conference Player of the Year, to narrow down a favorite memory from his time at UMaine. Obviously, the 1990 and 1991 NAC Championships and trips to the NCAA Regionals will forever hold a special place in his heart. "What I cherish most are the friendships that were made," Sweeney said. Hearing names of his former friends and teammates like Rob Higgins and Ted Novio, to name a few, always brings a huge smile to his face.

After college, Sweeney was drafted in the ninth round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft by the California Angels. His MLB debut came with the St. Louis Cardinals, the start of a 14-year career before his retirement in 2009.

Reflecting on his MLB career, Sweeney said, "Every day felt like it was the first day." Each day had the same type of energy and feeling as the first one. Sweeney holds the MLB record for pinch-hit RBI with 102 and ranks second in pinch-hits with 175 total hits.

Wondering what he was going to do after retirement, Sweeney knew he wanted to stay around the game for as long as possible. He had the opportunity to work with the Dodger organization to help scout players in the minor leagues for over three years. Fox Sports San Diego then contacted Sweeney and offered him a position to be a broadcaster for the San Diego Padres. It was a no brainer to accept the position as it allowed him spend more time with his family while still being around the game he loves.

A typical day of work for Sweeney for a 7:00 p.m. game starts early in the morning. He begins to research about the team that the Padres are playing that night and watches film on the pitchers. Around 2:00 p.m., he heads to the stadium for meetings with players and coaches. Sweeney is on the pregame show and also broadcasts the three middle innings of the game. Even with his busy day, he finds time to work out because he believes it is great for your mental health. The next day he wakes up and does it all over again, "like clockwork", as Sweeney says. The best part about the job, to Sweeney, is that that he no longer has to travel for away games. When the Padres are on the road, Sweeney joins the broadcast team in a San Diego studio. Family means everything to Sweeney, and this option also allows him to spend more time with the people he loves.

"Don't ever forget where you came from," Sweeney said. "I will never forget the University of Maine and how it shaped me into the man I am today."

He'll never forget getting to play for John Winkin and having Mike Coutts as an assistant coach. Coutts was like a father figure to Sweeney, also having an older brother mentality. He took the challenges he faced and the work ethic he learned and ran with it. "I will always be appreciative of UMaine," Sweeney said.

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