Giants fans have spent the last few months looking to the future and grumbling that a top prospect wasn't arriving fast enough. But as Joey Bart went through daily workouts in Sacramento, he thought to his past.
Bart thought specifically about his sophomore year at Georgia Tech, when he put a ton of pressure on himself to make the collegiate national team. He remembers being "uptight" as the announcement approached. Ultimately, Bart didn't make that team.
"I think that experience has really helped me be patient and understand that things all happen for a reason and my time is going to come," Bart said Thursday. "And when it is here, I'm going to make the most of it."
Bart, in his first public comments since the spring, didn't show any bitterness over the front office's decision to keep him off the opening day roster and hold him down through the first 26 games. He was calm and collected, but admitted that wasn't the case last night. Bart said he was dozing off when Farhan Zaidi, Scott Harris and Gabe Kapler called him with the good news.
"I was shaking for what seemed like 30 minutes, and couldn't stop shaking," Bart said.
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There will be no time to wobble tonight. Bart's first task as a big leaguer is guiding Kevin Gausman through an Angels lineup that has Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon right in the middle of it. Bart said he'll be prepared, noting that farm director Kyle Haines pulled him aside a couple times over the last month and helped him game-plan for how he would call pitches for Giants veterans.
"I think it's going to help me," Bart said.
Even with Trout in the park, Bart will be the biggest story tonight. This is the most anticipated Giants debut in 11 years, since Buster Posey -- who sent Bart a congratulatory text -- settled in behind the plate for the first time. As big as it will be for Giants fans, tonight is far more meaningful back in Buford, Georgia, a town of just over 12,000. Bart is the first player from his hometown to reach the big leagues.
"I'm really passionate about where I come from," Bart said. "I play for my teammates and myself, but also where I come from. That's really important to me."
[RELATED: Joey Bart to play everyday behind plate]
The residents of Buford had to wait a little longer this summer than they probably hoped, but on Thursday night they'll finally get to see Bart in the big leagues. Giants fans will, too, and perhaps there's a good reason to expect big things right away. Bart seems to be the type who responds well to adversity.
Sure, he didn't make that national team a few years ago. But all he did after that was become the best catcher in college baseball and have a season that made him the second overall pick in the draft.
How Joey Bart stayed calm, patient waiting for Giants to call him up originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
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