Article: Tyler Grimes Is Happy With His Decision

[Seth Stohs]

Last summer while playing minimally with the Ft. Myers Miracle, Tyler Grimes contemplated his future in baseball. He also contemplated his future outside of baseball. His manager, Doug Mientkiewicz, talked him into sticking it out through the rest of the season. He started playing almost every day, and he was a huge part of the their Florida State League Championship run. Now he’s in the Minnesota Twins Major League Spring Training.In December, Grimes got a phone call from Twins General Manager Terry Ryan. Ryan talked to Grimes and invited him to big league spring training as a non-roster player. The response, according to Ryan, “caught me off guard, I can tell you that.”

 

Grimes said he told Ryan, “Thanks Terry, but it’s time to move on.”

 

Grimes had spent his offseason doing a lot of thinking. “It was probably the toughest offseason I’ve ever had. This is all I’ve known, the game of baseball. I was ready. I was ready to go out in the real world and start my life and move on.”

 

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Grimes was the Twins fifth-round draft pick in 2011 out of Wichita State. He was drafted as a shortstop and played middle infield his first two seasons, both at Beloit. At the Instructional League after the 2012 season, the Twins moved him from the middle infield to behind the plate.There was an adjustment. He had to learn a new position, and learn how to work with pitchers. He also had to learn that he wasn’t going to play every day the way a position player would.He returned to the Midwest League in 2013, this time to Cedar Rapids.

 

In 2014, he moved up to the Ft. Myers Miracle. Again, he played in about half of the team’s games and rarely caught. He would DH, play some in the outfield and some in the infield. He was wondering a lot about things already then.

 

In June, he went to manager Doug Mientkiewicz and told him that he was thinking that he would be done with his professional baseball career. He gives a ton of credit to the former Twins first baseman for keeping him playing and more.

 

“Doug Mientkiewicz helped me a lot. I mean, he’s basically been my mentor since last year got started. We built a close bond with one another, and I kept in touch with him throughout the offseason. He’s always been positive to me. He’s definitely helped me big time in my career. And, it’s only been a year that he’s been with me. But last year, he played a big role in a lot of things. To be able to play for a guy like that, and his mentality, I was blessed to have him.”

 

Mientkiewicz told him to be patient and stick with it. Soon after, Eddie Rosario moved up to New Britain, and Grimes found himself starting most games in center field. He played there until Byron Buxton, and later Jason Kanzler, were in Ft. Myers.

 

He had never played the outfield before, but he didn’t mind. “It didn’t matter where I played. Give me a glove and hit me nine. I want to be a part of these guys and be a part of this team. I want to help us win. You get humbled in this game in a lot of ways. Last year was good for me. I loved showing up to the field every day knowing I was going to play. As long as I was in the lineup, I didn’t care. From one to nine, I didn’t care. I was excited and I was going to make the most of it. It was different at first playing outfield. I’d never played outfield. I kind of taught myself as it went.”

 

His philosophy in the outfield was pretty simple really. “If I saw a ball in the air, I was running after it. I was kind of like a dog trying to catch a Frisbee.”

 

As the playoffs approached, Levi Michael was promoted to New Britain. Tyler Grimes became the Miracle’s starting second baseman. He had at least played quite a bit at that position in the past and took ground balls there frequently.

His Miracle team went to the playoffs and kept on winning. Grimes certainly enjoyed that playoff atmosphere. “It was fun. Doug’s a real intense guy, but when we got to the playoffs, he was the calmest one out of everyone. We had a lot of fun. We had a good group of guys. It was special to win the first championship in Miracle history. We were all pretty excited as a team, but even more for him because he gets the most out of his players. To get that with him and the group of guys that we had was a pretty special moment.”

 

He said the players on that team all had each other’s back. “Everybody was contributing. I think I popped up a bunt and Jason Kanzler came up and hit a big home run. That’s what this game is about and everybody picking each other up and that’s what we did. It’s tough to win a championship, but with those guys and the way we picked one another up, it was a good feeling.”

 

The toughest part about leaving the game of baseball (or any sport) is the changing of relationships that were built. “Being away from your family, these guys are all you’ve got. We’re brothers. We spend more time with each other than we do with our own families.”

 

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Back to that day when Terry Ryan called Grimes and invited him to big league camp. Grimes had a lot of good reasons to consider his post-baseball options.

As he said, “It was tough. The season is a different monster. Not a lot of people get what we go through. The money? You’re making under the poverty level. I mean, I could go to McDonald's and flip burgers and make more than what we make. I have to be realistic with myself. You have to come to reality sometime. You can’t play this game forever.”

 

When Grimes got the call from Ryan, he was surprised as well. “At that time, I was kind of on the ropes of if I was going to come back or not. So, we had a long talk about that. He gave me a night to sleep on it. I called him back an hour later and let him know that I was coming down.”

 

Ryan said that it wasn’t the response he expected. A lot of players will go back and forth on whether to keep playing, but typically not when they get invited to big league camp. Ryan said, “He was questioning whether or not he had enough ability, and that bothered me because I believe he’s got some ability, otherwise we wouldn’t have invited him. He’s got a bit more ability than he gives himself credit for.”

 

Ryan is glad that Grimes quickly changed his mind. “It was a little different, but everything’s alright now. We’re glad he’s here, and so is he, I believe.”

 

Grimes would agree. “He had more confidence in me than I had in myself probably. Just to hear that from our GM and for him to let me sleep on it, it showed me a lot from Terry Ryan. I’m so happy that I’m here and he’s given me this opportunity.”

 

It was definitely the right choice for him, and he has enjoyed his time in big league camp. “It’s been good. I grew up watching Torii Hunter, Joe Mauer, and now I’m in the same clubhouse as them. It’s pretty cool. It’s a good experience. I’m just trying to take in everything that I can. It’s a good experience and I’m just trying to take in everything I can. There’s never enough learning in this game. Everything’s new. You can learn something new every day. I’m enjoying it. Getting this atmosphere, big league atmosphere. Being with some of my teammates that I’ve played with, it’s been comfortable. They’ve made us comfortable, all of us young guys. These are all great guys. Veteran leadership, it’s awesome.”

 

Who knows what the future holds for Grimes. He hopes to move up to Chattanooga. “I’d love to be in Chattanooga. It’d be nice to be with Doug and a bunch of my former teammates from last year. We had a good camaraderie in the clubhouse and had a lot of fun. Other than that, enjoying it while I can and letting everything take care of itself.”

 

He seems happy and content. “I’m just trying to take one day at a time and let God take care of everything.”

 

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[sane]

Unless you can play in the Big Leagues, baseball is a bad financial decision. But, like with artists, many baseball decisions are not financially motivated.

[Thrylos]

Yeah, it's tough.  Especially for players with College education like Grimes; they do have alternatives.  I hope that the whole minor league salary situation gets fixed.  You cannot have whole low level teams making less money than a single MLB rookie's minimum salary.  And it is on the players' union as well...

[Seth Stohs]

Definitely on the players' union. They should look out for them a little bit. 

 

Tyler's such a good kid, and I know that this ate him up. It's good to see him enjoying this spring so much and getting into games.

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

Great article Seth.  I had no clue he was thinking about leaving the game, but as others said, financially it makes sense if you have a college degree and didn't get a big signing bonus.  They have to raise Minor League salaries or MLB will lose out in the end. 

[jorgenswest]

Just wondering...

 

How much would it cost a team to bring salaries up to a reasonable wage?

 

Is it possible that on doing so, a few more players would make the majors that otherwise wouldn't?

[Seth Stohs]

We're mostly talking about guys who are not yet minor league free agents and are not on the 40 man roster. Those players get more money than the others.

 

I once figured that if you say that number is 100. And the average of those 100 is about $1500 per month (that might be a bit high for lower levels and a little low for higher levels. That would be about $150,000. 

 

If that number was doubled, then you're up to $300,000. 

 

Someone can check my math or feel free to disagree. But when 3rd starters are signing for $12 million, an extra $150K does'nt seem like much.

[ThejacKmp]

Not to be pessimistic but he should probably quit.  Nothing in his stats indicates he has much of a chance at the big leagues, he doesn't seem to have that burning desire to play no matter what and he has other options that seem to interest him.  You got to know when to fold 'em. 

[Squirrel]

Not to be pessimistic but he should probably quit.  Nothing in his stats indicates he has much of a chance at the big leagues, he doesn't seem to have that burning desire to play no matter what and he has other options that seem to interest him.  You got to know when to fold 'em.

 

I work in a business where that same 'desire' is necessary. And you slog through 'paying your dues' waiting for a chance at the big time. Some make it, many don't. It's not uncommon to have doubts and wonder if it's all worth it, especially if you are barely eking out a living. I've even quit before. But I ended up one of the lucky ones, persevered, because thats what I really wanted after getting past all the doubt and struggle, and won a position in probably the top organization in this country in my field. I can't say that my 'stats' were that of a standout, but I'm good at what I do and with a lot of luck, some good timing, and hard work, I did it. Tyler may still end up making the decision that it's time, but who knows? I give him credit for being here and say 'Good for him!' and 'Go get it!'

[HitInAPinch]

Great story, Seth!!

[sane]

Actually, playing pro baseball is not for everyone. Those who are not talented enough should re-direct their career choices toward curing cancer or a least doing something more rewarding than playing minor league baseball. Paying guys enough money to continue wasting their lives does not benefit them or humanity.

[Thrylos]

 

 Paying guys enough money to continue wasting their lives does not benefit them or humanity.

 

You think playing a kids' game and having fun as an adult and getting paid $ to do it, is "wasting someone's life" (whatever that might mean?)

 

His deal.  It is not like he is robbing 7-11s and doing time in jail or something....

Edited March 13, 2015 by Thrylos

[Seth Stohs]

 

 It is not like he is robbing 7-11s and doing time in jail or something....

 

And he was a criminal justice major at Wichita State, so he probably wouldn't do that either. 

[sane]

If his wife and kids are forced to support the family while he is "having fun as an adult and getting paid" peanuts, then he is wasting all their time, efforts and dreams for the sake of what?. If he actually has a chance to play in the Big Leagues, and he is taking his shot, that is OK.

[ScottyB]

If he could hit a little better he could be the ultimate utility guy.  You have to respect anyone who can play all the positions up the middle.  It would also solve the problem of keeping a third catcher on the roster, just as Herrmann could this year (especially if they would play him a little at 3rd as well as 1B, OF and C).  These are the kind of player who could make a good 25th man.

[Seth Stohs]

Berardino wrote about Tyler Grimes' story today: http://www.twincities.com/twins/ci_27752023/twins-prospect-tyler-grimes-still-figuring-out-if

[Seth Stohs]

Per the Twins, Grimes decided to retire. Best wishes to him in whatever is next.

[Squirrel]

Well, now he probably knows for sure. He gave it that one last go and now can move on without any doubts. Good luck to him.