Free Republic

…SILVERADO, Calif. – On the morning Grant Desme ceased to exist, he was at peace. He spent years searching for serenity, convinced it was coming soon, next, now. It never did. Life was a blaring stereo, and he had become numb to its noise. The sound finally abated when he arrived here. He believed God muted it. So on Christmas Eve two years ago he and seven other men marched into the church at St. Michael's Abbey and readied for a transition the church considered spiritual death. Grant Desme would go by another name. His plainclothes would become a head-to-toe...

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."...