Mike Freitas, a leader on his Valley High School team, looked forward to college and maybe more in May 1987, according to The Sacramento Bee.
"I take baseball very seriously," Freitas told The Bee. "I want to continue to play baseball for as long as I can. Next year I'm going to go to Sacramento City College and we'll take it from there."
For Freitas, as long as he could meant beyond college to a nine-season pro career. He briefly made it up to AAA. He never made the majors.
Freitas' pro career began in 1989, taken by the Mets in the 50th round of the draft out of Sacramento City College.
Freitas started with the Mets at short-season Pittsfield. He went 3-0 over 13 outings, two starts, with a 4.05 ERA. He picked up one of his wins in a late-August game where he went five innings of relief.
He returned to Pittsfield for five relief outings in 1990 and 13 more outings, five starts, at single-A Columbia. He had a 2.61 ERA on the year.
Freitas played 1991 at Columbia and at single-A St. Lucie. He returned to St. Lucie for 1992. He went 6-3 in 45 relief outings, with a 1.25 ERA.
He moved to the Padres and AA Wichita for 1993. He saw just eight relief outings. He gave up nine earned runs in 7.2 innings of work. He struggled early, but did better in a late-April outing, The Wichita Eagle wrote.
"To me, our most encouraging sign was Freitas," Trembley told The Eagle. "He worked fast, and pitched with confidence, and that's what we expect out of him."
But Freitas soon got injured and underwent elbow surgery. He lost the rest of the season and much of the next.
He then returned full-time for 1995. He saw 54 relief outings at AA Memphis, with a 3.66 ERA. He played 1996 back at Memphis, but also saw three relief outings at AAA Las Vegas. He gave up two earned runs in 5.2 innings there.
Freitas then spent his final pro time in 1997, with the Pirates at AA Carolina. He saw six relief appearances there to end his career.
- Sacramento Bee, May 7, 1987: Valley's Mike, Mike and Mike show is a smash
- Wichita Eagle, April 21, 1993: Wranglers tumble to Midland in a cold 1993 home opener
Made the Majors:1,254-34.1%
Never Made Majors:2,419-65.9%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:522
10+ Seasons in the Minors:308
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