A's prospect leaving baseball for the priesthood

[LuvNewcastle]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/A-s-prospect-leaving-baseball-for-call-of-the-pr?urn=mlb,215238

Well, here's a story you don't see every day.

Grant Desme, a 23-year-old minor league outfielder in Oakland's system, is retiring from baseball to follow a calling into the Catholic priesthood.

The story was first reported by Fox Sports' Jon Paul Morosi — perhaps appropriately with that first name of his — and this isn't a case of a struggling player going through an early-life crisis. Desme was ranked the A's eighth-best prospect by Baseball America after hitting .288 with 31 home runs and 89 RBIs in A ball in 2009 and he was just named MVP of the Arizona Fall League.

Desme might have even been a late-season callup to the big league club in 2010. Our Y! Sports 2010 fantasy guide has him ranked the 40th-best minor-league prospect for near-term fantasy purpose. However, ESPN's Rob Neyer disagrees, saying that he didn't see Desme as a future star by the Bay.

Susan Slusser has more on Desme's decision to leave playing against the Padres and Cardinals so he can start praying with other padres and cardinals at a Catholic seminary in Orange County. He said the news came as bit of a shock to Billy Beane, but that the Oakland GM and entire A's system have been supportive of his decision.

Said Desme on a Friday afternoon conference call:

"I'm doing well in baseball. But I had to get down to the bottom of things, to what was good in my life, what I wanted to do with my life. Baseball is a good thing, but that felt selfish of me when I felt that God was calling me more. It took awhile to trust that and open up to it and aim full steam toward him ... I love the game, but I'm going to aspire to higher things."

Desme spoke with Baseball America last year about baseball being only "a game" and we wish him success on his spiritual path. In a selfish age when churches struggle to recruit young male Americans, his sacrifice of possible riches is a very admirable thing.

[Divine Discontent]

1. God bless his pursuits. It's refreshing to see a top caliber prospect give up a lot to do what he

believes is best for his life. amazingly rare to see.

[LuvNewcastle]

2. I hope he has a fulfilling life,

for himself and for those he ministers to. While I am not a Christian, it impresses me to see someone truly make a sacrifice in his/her life. It is indeed a rare thing.

[Divine Discontent]

3. bless you for seeing that. Whether he be Christian/Buddhist/Jewish I would have been impressed that

he is giving up the potential good shot at a few million (and dozens more if he proved a great hitter) to serve others. Yes, a rare thing....

best to you

[BolivarianHero]

4. Can't say I blame him...

Probably got sick of all the slurs from all the fundie-fucks that have infiltrated professional baseball. Baseball Chapel is scary as Hell. The growth of ice hockey in America scares me in one sense, as the predominance of Scandinavian, Eastern European, and Canadian players have made the NHL and its farm leagues relatively immune to the fundamentalist lunacy that has infested the other major North American sports. It's nice to see athletes who emphasise hard work, team efforts, and family as oppose to JESUS! JESUS! JESUS!The God that Never Lived didn't save both the Saints and the Vikings from playing putrid football last night...lol