MLB: The Mets' Josh Satin and Others Who Got Called Up to the Big Leagues

Yesterday, Josh Satin got called up to the New York Mets.

That may not be big news in your house, but it is in ours.  Josh, you see, is one of our relatives, my cousin's son. He is one of many newbies who will get a chance to show their stuff during the last legs of the baseball season.

For Josh, like so many others, it has been a long trip predicated on remarkable dedication to fulfill a lifelong dream.

From an early age, Josh was earmarked as a great baseball player. As a freshman in high school, he was among the top 10 hitters in the Los Angeles area. As a senior, he was offered a place on numerous Division I college teams, finally opting for UC Berkeley where he played shortstop.  Then, after an injury, he returned to play a variety of positions in the infield, finally settling on second base.

When the draft came, he was sure he would take his rightful place in pro baseball. Yet, somehow he was not selected.  It was a tough turn of events and it tested his mettle and desire.

A lesser person might have quit right there.  In Josh's case, he had gotten an excellent education and could probably find a good job in the business world.  Why go through another year of daily workouts and bruising to the body and the ego with only the most outside chance of making it to the next level?

This is where things really turn tough for those who want to play baseball for a living.   Everyone would understand if he decided to not go play again. Yet, quitting is not in Josh's nature.

After deciding to play one more year in college, Josh finally was taken by the Mets and placed into the obscurity of the minors with others who held the dream.

At 6'2", 190 lbs, Josh is not your normal second baseman. He is neither swift nor acrobatic like so many other middle infielders, but he possesses an uncanny knack for the ball and a wisdom and craftiness that makes him a standout.  His .978 fielding percentage illustrates his sure-handedness.

They tell you in Little League, Pony League, High School and beyond that if you can hit, you will play. Well, in four seasons in the minors, Josh averaged over .300 and in his last 33 games with the AAA Buffalo Bisons, his key stats were a .317 average with an OPS of .774.  The boy can hit and for a team like the Mets which needs stability in the infield and key hits in the lineup, he may be a perfect fit.

Every day in September we will be hearing of new, no-name players being called up to the bigs.  They usually sport hefty minor league numbers, but as one of my friends said, "Everything is faster, bigger and stronger in the majors."

I am sure Josh can't wait to face that challenge.

Josh did not just hope to make it to the next level. He fought for it, through injury, through turn-downs, through the pedestrian ranks of the minors, without knowing for sure what his future might bring.  His doggedness has paid off and it is that persistence that not only made him a stand-out on his team but also in the eyes of the Mets' management when they finally gave him the call.

To Josh and all of the others who have stood by their dream, good luck in September and beyond.