San Francisco Giant Misses His Date to Read to Kiddies at Library -- As He's Been Demoted to Minor Leagues

By Joe Eskenazi Tue., Jul. 7 2009 at 1:59 PM

Categories: Local News, Sports

It's a good bet that Emmanuel Burriss would have loved to be in San Fran today reading to the kiddies rather than suiting up to play Minor League ball in Fresno

Whether professional ballplayers really enjoy the litany of camera-friendly community events they're trotted out to is a matter only known by the athletes, their significant others, their psychiatrists, team management -- basically, everyone but us. But last year the San Francisco Giants' likable young second baseman, Emmanuel Burriss, made such a good impression reading stories to kids at the San Francisco Public Library, that the SFPL asked for him to do it again this year and printed up notices of today's reading in the library's monthly newsletter.

One hitch, though: Burriss, hitting a disappointing .238, was demoted to the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League back on June 16 -- well before today's scheduled reading at the main library.

Thankfully, however, this story has a happy ending -- though Burriss wasn't the one to read it.

Filling in at the last minute, the Giants instead sent first baseman Travis Ishikawa to read to the kiddies today.

Library spokeswoman Michelle Jeffers reports that Ishikawa performed well in the clutch, reading three picture books to a crowd of 50 autograph-seeking tots, leading the group in a rousing chorus of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," and answering "many questions." One of the young folks saw fit to ask "Do you like baseball?" We're guessing Ishikawa's answer was not something along the lines of, "No, kid. My whole life is a sham."

Incidentally, none of the young people complimented Ishikawa on his fine fielding but asked him if he will ever develop the batting average and power stroke one would expect of a Major League first baseman. We'll see how that story ends later.