Imagine being one of two people in contention for the final roster spot on a Major League Baseball team.
Then, imagine being told that you were not picked for that final spot and, instead, will begin the season in the minor leagues.
And now, imagine being told this information on a national TV show.
That's exactly what happened to then-23-year-old Daniel Hudson in 2010 when he was a member of the Chicago White Sox.
Hudson's demotion, which took place one day before the regular season began, was captured on film for "The Club," a reality show that aired on MLB Network.
"They showed me getting sent down on national TV, so that was pretty cool," the D-backs' relief pitcher said sarcastically.
On Saturday, D-backs outfielder Peter O'Brien was sent down to the minors for the third straight season. Five days earlier, we asked him what the demotion feels like.
"It's tough. Nobody wants to hear it," he said. "I know it's a decision (the coaches) probably don't want to make, and it's a decision that we don't want to hear."
D-backs third baseman Jake Lamb was demoted after his first Spring Training experience -- but he had the luxury of knowing it was coming.
"We all say we come in trying to make the team, but I knew," he said. "There was no way I was going to make the team. But it was honestly just a big learning experience for me."
Nearly everyone the D-backs sent down likely knew the demotion was coming. But that doesn't mean the team had to make some tough choices.
"There's so much depth in this room. They have some really hard decisions to make," Lamb said. "Not everyone's going to be happy, and that's the tough part."
Hudson doesn't envy the task Chip Hale and the rest of the D-backs coaching staff were faced with.
"It's tough. You never like to say goodbye to anybody, but it's the nature of the business," he said. "Everybody kind of knows it's coming, but it's still not easy.
"I can't imagine having to make a decision like this, especially how competitive our camp's been. Everybody's been playing very well and nobody's made it easy on them at all."
But take it from Hudson: Being sent down to the minor leagues doesn't mean you'll be there forever -- or even that you'll be there for the rest of the season.
"It's not easy, but at the same time, you've got to keep your chin up," he said, "And then, go down and take care of business wherever they send you to maybe get a consideration to get a call back up later in the year."
