Oakland's Grant Desme was the Minors only 30-30 man in 2009. (Michael O'Day/MiLB.com)
Posted on 01/22/2010 4:05:34 PM PST by iowamark
Top Oakland prospect had breakout season in '09
The Oakland A's had high expectations for Grant Desme following a breakout 2009 season, including a potential invite to Spring Training. On Friday, the California native told the club he had other plans.
Desme, a former second-round pick and one of Oakland's top outfield prospects, announced Friday morning that he is retiring from baseball and becoming a priest.
"I love the game, but I aspire to higher things," Desme said during a media conference call. "I really kept this to myself, I kept it from the baseball community. Not many people knew."
The slugging 23-year-old, who won Arizona Fall League MVP honors in 2009, said he knew he was likely done with baseball when he finished his stint in Arizona two months ago.
"I do love the game, but I have no regrets," Desme said. "I called yesterday to inform [A's general manager Billy Beane] of my decision, knowing I'd be done with baseball for the rest of my life after that call. I was able to experience a great amount of peace because of it -- it reconfirmed my decision. I think I'd detached myself from baseball a while ago."
The 6-foot-2 outfielder said the team was "very understanding and supportive" in his decision.
Desme enjoyed a breakout season in '09, batting .288 with 31 home runs and 89 RBIs in 131 games between Class A Kane County and Class A Advanced Stockton. His 40 stolen bases made him Minor League Baseball's only 30-30 player in '09.
"Last year before the season, I had a really strong feel of calling and strong desire to follow it," said Desme, who began the season in the Midwest League. "I guess in a way I fought it. God blessed me, I had a better year than I could have ever imagined. It reconfirmed my desire even more. I wasn't at peace with where I was at, I felt I was called to more."
The outfielder said he'd been contemplating his career as a priest for over a year. A separated shoulder in 2008 limited him to just two games, but more importantly, it gave him time to reflect on his life and goals.
"My injuries were the biggest blessings that God's ever given me," he said. "For my entire life, baseball's been my life. I've defined myself as a baseball player. When it was taken away, it was kind of an eye opener, a real shock. Either way, if I played in the big leagues and became a Hall of Famer, you never know when it's going to end. I started doing some soul searching about who I was, and this is where its led me."
The former slugger visited St. Michael's Abbey of the Norbertine Fathers in Silverado, Calif. following the AFL season, and that's where he'll begin what he hopes is a 10-year journey to becoming a Catholic priest.
Desme, who said his relationships with teammates in the Minors helped steer him toward the priesthood, gained increased attention in Arizona. He was the AFL Player of the Week on Oct. 29, was named an AFL Rising Star on Nov. 2 and was selected to the AFL All-Prospect Team on Dec. 9. He began the AFL season on a huge power surge, hitting 10 homers in 10 games by the end of October. He led the AFL with 72 total bases while ranking second in RBIs (27) and runs scored (30).
"Grant Desme performed far beyond his experience during his six weeks in Arizona this fall," AFL director Steve Cobb said in November. "For a young man who has yet to face Double-A and Triple-A competition, his success against an array of the game's top prospects was remarkable."
Despite his success on the field, Desme said he never considered trying to stay in baseball while dedicating himself to his faith.
"I wanted to give my life completely to God for love, for everything he has done for me," Desme said. "I'm very thankful for that. Something like this is very little in comparison to what he has done for me.
"It's about 10 year process of studying, so in reality, this is kind of a comparison," he added. "It's like I'm re-entering the Minor Leagues."
http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/oakland-prospect-retires-to-join-priesthood/
“”In a conference call with reporters, he said he would join St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado, Calif., this August.””
http://www.abbeynews.net/index.html
“St. Michael’s Abbey”
Ping
That being said, I think the Abbey could have found a better way to phrase this from their website concerning the Vocations entry.
At least average intelligence. The priest must faithfully transmit Catholic doctrine to the faithful, and accurately diagnose their sins in the confessional. Hence he must have at least average intellectual ability to pass his seminary courses.
God knows the priesthood needs more men who played sports and other manly pursuits. In my diocese I’d bet 75% of them never played organized sports. Whatever happened to CYO boxing teams?
May God Bless this young man in his vocation to the priesthood.
That's the attitude that almost washed out this poor student:
St. Jean-Baptiste Marie Vianney, pray for us and for this young seminarian!
Continue to pray for vocations and holy men for ordination and holy women for religious life.
Hmmm ... He’s leaving the A’s to become a Padre.
That when you know. And the priesthood doesn't mean you're done with baseball. There's always coaching.
LOL!
I thought you might want to see this, even if it’s concerning the OTHER Bay Area team....
His parish school oughta have a heckuva baseball team!
Hopefully, he'll return any signing bonuses...
What a heartwarming story.
What a strange thing to say.
A's MVP Desme retires for priesthood [ Grant Desme]
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A Father and Son Swim the Tiber and become Priests [Ecumenical]
Cardinal Arinze discusses the priestly vows of obedience, poverty and chastity (Catholic Caucus)
Pope Gives Key to Being Highly Effective Priests [Ecumenical]
Priests: Ordinary Men Made Extraordinary by Grace [Holy Orders/Chrism Mass]
7 Reasons To Be a Priest
The Nature of Priestly Ordination: Theological Background and Some Present Concerns
The Priesthood of Jesus Christ - Body and Blood (Confessional ... Consecration ... and Calvary)
What You [Catholics] Need to Know: Priesthood (Holy Orders) [Catholic-Orthodox Caucus]
What You {Catholics} Need to Know: Celibacy [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
New priest finds joy in sacrifice
No shortage of priests in Atlanta, more than 50 seminarians
Debt, the Vocation Killer [Catholic Caucus]
Identical twins become Green Bay priests
A Modern Roman Rite Priest reports on Classical Roman Rite Training
Number of new priests expected to rise in 2007
Father, Mother, Sister, Brother [Part One of a series on Celibacy] -- Catholic Caucus
It Takes a Village of Vocations [Part Two of a series on Celibacy] -- Catholic Caucus
Living Single and Celibate in God’s Service [Part Three of a series on Celibacy] -- Catholic Caucus
Brothers and Sisters in Christ [Part Four of a series on Celibacy] -- Catholic Caucus
The Adventure of the Priesthood [Part Five of a series on Celibacy] -- Catholic Caucus
This Is the Body of Christ [Part Six of a series on Celibacy and Vocations] -- Catholic Caucus
14 men are ordained into the priesthood (at St. Patrick's Cathedral NYC)
To Know, To Love, To Lead (Pope Benedict XVI ordains 22 new priests)
The Indispensable Priesthood -- Holy Thursday, [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Why Does the Catholic Church Ordain Only Men to the Priesthood? Part Three[Cath/Orth/Angl Caucus]
Why Does the Catholic Church Ordain Only Men to the Priesthood? Part Two
Why Does the Catholic Church Ordain Only Men to the Priesthood? Part One [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Vatican Said (Again!) Not Revising Celibacy Rule
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis
Excellent comment! It’s clever posts like that, which make me love FR! Smartest folks around!
If he sticks with it long enough, he’ll get to join the Cardinals.
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