'The Bachelorette' is giving ex-baseball players a second chance at fame

Mike Oz

If you don't watch "The Bachelorette" — and why would you when there's baseball on your TV? — then this might come as a surprise: The last two guys to "win" the popular find-a-soulmate competition show were former Minor League Baseball players.

Life after baseball doesn't just include coaching, broadcasting and telling stories about the good ol' days. Apparently going on a reality show and trying to get hitched is a viable option too.

Josh Murray was chosen on Monday night's finale by Bachelorette Andi Dorfman, ending their made-for-TV courtship with a marriage proposal. Josh Murray is the brother of Aaron Murray, the University of George quarterback and Kansas City Chiefs rookie, and a former six-year minor leaguer who was drafted in the second round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2002.

Josh Murray never made it past Single-A and hit just .213 in his MILB career, but Murray made it further in baseball than many do. He eventually went back to play college football with his brother at Georgia.

Baseball even factored into Murray's courting of Dorfman. From Baseball America:

On his final date with Dorfman in the Dominican Republic, following a ride on a yacht, Murray showed Dorfman a baseball card he made for her, with her picture as a member of “The Murrays,” with her very own stats on the back: Drafted first round, first overall; Errors: can’t dance and swears too much.

“I’ve had some big days in my life,” Murray said on decision day. “Getting drafted in baseball, going back and playing football with my brother. But this day is the biggest day of my life.”

The Dominican Republic, huh? Maybe they were scouting for international talent while they were there. You're right, probably not. That's what honeymoons are for!

Last year about this time, Chris Siegfried won "The Bachelorette." In his previous life, he was pitching in the Chicago Cubs organization. Siegfried was drafted in the 11th round of the 2007 draft and put together a 4.70 ERA in four seasons of minor-league ball.

Before Siegfried, Roberto Martinez won "The Bachelorette" in 2010. He played baseball at the University of Tampa and was drafted twice by MLB teams, but never played minor-league ball because of shoulder issues. His status as an ex-baseball player was part of the narrative of the dating contest, though.

As many women out there will attest, there's something about baseball players they find irresistible. That's true, apparently, whether they're swooning over their favorite players in the stands at an MLB game or looking for love on reality TV.

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Mike Oz is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!