The professional baseball path isn't always a smooth one.

Afew former Butler County high school players can paint that picture this season.

• Butler graduate Jake Cuffman, only 23, is in his sixth year in the Pittsburgh Pirates' minor league system, pitching in relief for Class ALynchburg.

He has already dealt with numerous pitching coaches, is adjusting to a new director of player development and is trying to throw strikes while working on his mechanics.

Cuffman is 1-2 with a 5.44 earned run average in 47 games at Lynchburg this year. In 51.1 innings pitched, he's struck out 37, walked 47, thrown 11 wild pitches and hit four batters.

• Seneca Valley graduate Zach Jackson is 25 and already with his third big league organization. He was drafted by Toronto, traded to Milwaukee while still in the minor leagues and was shipped to Cleveland after being switched from a starting pitcher to a reliever.

The Indians decided to convert him back into a starter. Jackson made his American League debut Thursday night, allowing three runs in five innings in an 11-6 loss to Baltimore.

• Seneca Valley graduate Dom Duggan is a 23-year-old outfielder in the San Francisco Giants' farm system. He has seen limited action with Class AAugusta this year and is hitting .180 in 14 games.

In 50 at bats, Duggan has struck out 15 times, walked once and has one stolen base.

• One guy off to a good start in his pro career is Seneca Valley graduate Ryan Page. A left-handed pitcher drafted by Toronto in June, he is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERAthrough seven games for the Gulf Coast Blue Jays in rookie ball.

Page, 23, has struck out 13 batters and walked only three.

• Butler graduate Matt Clement turned 34 recently and is currently out of the game after being released by the St. Louis Cardinals last week.

Clement hasn't pitched in a major league game since June of 2006 and underwent extensive shoulder surgery in September of that year.

After a few rough starts during rehab assignments in the Cardinals' farm system, St. Louis tried giving Clement innings in shorter spurts out of the bullpen.

When his arm strength wasn't showing enough progress, he was released.

Clement stands a good chance of signing with somebody as a non-roster free agent during the off-season. Hopefully, his arm will bounce back and his career will resume.

If it doesn't, the man owns 87 major league victories, won a game in the NLCS with the Chicago Cubs, and has pitched on a regular basis in San Diego, Miami, Wrigley Field and Fenway Park.

A baseball career can be a fleeting thing. Four years ago, Clement signed a three-year deal worth nearly $25 million with Boston.

Maybe the wear and tear of pitching got the best of him.

Either way, there are four guys listed above who would gladly take what Clement has accomplished in the major leagues.

It's not called "The Show" for nothing.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.