Mormon Baseball

With the start of the reality television season comes news that former San Francisco Giants player and LDS Church member Jeff Kent is one of the contestants on this year’s “Survivor.” Kent was awarded the National League MVP in 2000 and was an All Star five times during his 17 year career, which ended in 2008. Since his retirement, he has lived on his ranch in Texas with his wife and four daughters.

This is Kent’s second appearance in a reality television show. He appeared on the show Superstars in 2009. He has also been an advocate for baseball requiring players to submit blood tests for HGH.

The winner of the Survivor season earns a $1 million prize—perhaps just animal feed for Kent, given that his final year salary was $9 million and he earned more than $1 million in 13 of his 17 seasons in the majors.

Kent will be eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, and it seems possible, if not likely, that he will make it.