Injury

On May 26, 1999, while pitching against the Texas Rangers, Saunders suffered a significant arm injury while pitching to Juan González.^[3] As he delivered a 3–2 pitch to the Rangers slugger, his pitching arm suddenly snapped with enough force that the sound of it could be heard throughout the stadium. Saunders subsequently collapsed on the mound, screaming in pain and smacking his right arm on the ground. Within moments, team trainer Jamie Reed and teammates John Flaherty and Kevin Stocker rushed to his side. Saunders had to be carted off the field, as the pain was too much for him to walk. He was diagnosed with a humerus fracture and torn ligaments in his arm, an injury severe enough to end his season.^[4][5]

Saunders attempted to rehab the injury and make a comeback, and was sent on a rehabilitation assignment in August 2000. He successfully pitched in two games for the Single–A Charleston RiverDogs, then moved to the High–A St. Petersburg Devil Rays.^[6] On August 24, during his fifth rehab game, Saunders’s humerus snapped again.^[7] With the break occurring in almost the same spot as it had before, Saunders retired immediately afterward, aged 26.^[8] Saunders was the 2000 recipient of the Tony Conigliaro Award, which honors a major league player who "overcomes an obstacle and adversity".^[9]

After baseball, Saunders worked as a stockbroker.^[10] In 2005, Saunders announced a comeback, signing a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles, and making their spring training roster. He pitched one inning against the St. Louis Cardinals before he was reassigned to the minor leagues. He remained listed on the Bowie Baysox roster for the whole 2005 season, but never pitched in a game, although he did appear in nine games for the Mesa Miners of the Golden Baseball League.