for the love of the game

Some people really love what they do. That’s something I admire. You see that a lot in baseball. Where it stands out the most are those “journeyman” players who spend year in the minor leagues, and never quite make it to the majors. Others spend most of their time in AAA baseball, but make the occasional visit to the big leagues. Some bounce back and forth. The Giants have a handful of players who shuttle back and forth between Fresno and San Francisco, mostly in response to the health of the regulars.

One player in the second category is Yusmeiro Petit. He made a bit of news on August 27 when he was called up from Fresno after Matt Cain was put on the disabled list. He managed a win, and it was his first in exactly four years, the previous one being August 27, 2009 against the Giants when he was an Arizona Diamondback.

But look at this. From 2006 through 2009 he shuttled back and forth between AAA and the majors for Florida and Arizona. He spent all 2010 in the minors and 2011 and the Mexican League. He signed with the Giants and spent most of 2012 at Fresno. He did appear in one game with the Giants that year. He then spent all of this year at Fresno until his August appearance.

To stay with it through all that shows someone who truly has a passion for what they do. And that, as I said, I have to admire.