Baseball careers often start with winter grunt work

FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2014, file photo, Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Casey Fien (50) throws in a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins in Kansas City, Mo. Long before any of that major league money starts landing in their bank accounts, most players are in a similar spot as everyone else in the regular workforce. The right arm that would eventually fetch Fien a $1.38 million salary from the Twins for 2015 was once used for stacking crates, pallets and boxes at Costco. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File) FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2014, file photo, Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Casey Fien (50) throws in a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins in Kansas City, Mo. Long before any of that major league money starts landing in their bank accounts, most players are in a similar spot as everyone else in the regular workforce. The right arm that would eventually fetch Fien a $1.38 million salary from the Twins for 2015 was once used for stacking crates, pallets and boxes at Costco. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File)

By Associated Press March 25, 2015 5 min read

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Long before any of that major league money starts landing in their bank accounts, most players are in a similar predicament as everyone else in the regular workforce.

Between baseball seasons there are no paychecks and bills don’t stop for the winter. So they need to find some other income.

“Especially the guys who got picked in the 10th round and above,” Minnesota Twins reliever Casey Fien said. “I signed for $500 and a plane ticket. So I had to go out and earn my money.”

He went to Costco.

The right arm that would eventually fetch Fien a $1.38 million salary from the Twins for 2015 was once used for stacking crates, pallets and boxes at the bulk retail giant’s location in San Luis Obispo, California. Drafted in the 20th round in 2006 by Detroit, Fien showed up for five-hour night shifts at the store during his offseasons until making his major league debut in 2009 with the Tigers.