You don't hear this every day: A's OF Grant Desme, Arizona Fall League MVP, is retiring to enter the priesthood. 31 HR and 40 SB in A ball.If you are like me and want to hear more about the decision from Desme himself, you can check out this article on Minor League Baseball's website.
It is a remarkable story. Desme was a second-round draft pick of the A's, and after a huge 2009 season he was on the radar as one of the better prospects in all of baseball. It takes years of dedication to get to the point that Desme had already reached, and he was maybe only a couple years away from reaching the majors. Desme knew all this, yet still gave it all up.
Players just don't walk away like this. It's the baseball equivalent of stopping five hundred feet short of the peak of Mt. Everest, despite perfect conditions. There was still a significant climb ahead, but the path was relatively clear, and all things considered, not much was left.
The man clearly feels called, and I admire anyone who pursues what they believe in. I also doubt that this is a call any baseball team expects to get, and I doubt it is a situation another team will face any time soon.
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