We are going through the family process of analyzing the various risks/rewards to turning pro directly out of high school. I guess I am asking for input from you’ll. Talk to me about the facets of this decision to go pro out of hs.
We begin with these assumptions: we do not control whether any club will draft S (2010). If, but only if, a club projects S as having MLB talent (sometime in the future), will a club put S on their board. Then, if the price S has set on himself matches (equals or is less than) the price the drafting club places upon his hide, a deal is possible.
S can only control what he can control, so he works and works and works to get better so that a club will project him as having MLB talent. The questionnaires he is sitting on (waiting to be filled out) show that he has at least appeared on some radar screens.
While the family has no control over the talent projections, we do have the ability to influence S’s desirability by placing an amount on his hide.
While some here would assert that it is too early to assume any draft, let me emphasize that we are not assuming S will be drafted. We are analyzing whether to put his name into the pool as signable.
In our family, we tend to mull over future options very early – we find that there are many facets to future decisions and that thinking early means that we can try to think of as many facets as possible before the moment (and emotions) arrives. (We began thinking about colleges at the beginning of hs.) Note I did not say plan early – just think early! Planning requires that the other party to the dance (e.g., the college) be there looking at you. We are just thinking now.
This very long winded preamble is needed to set the stage for my issue. For our family, thinking about the direction of S’s baseball future is now; acting is later.
S has twin goals: baseball and the highest and deepest education he can achieve. Baseball of course means MLB. Education means (probably) science/engineering and continuing through at least graduate school. The first goal has a shelf life; the second does not. If he achieves the first, the second may fall by the wayside if life satisfaction was attained (and for our family life satisfaction is the ultimate goal in life – of course what that is is up to every individual to define!).
In looking at the college baseball v. pro baseball out of hs debate, we have been struck by how difficult (read that virtually impossible) it is to become a top science/engineering student and a top collegiate baseball player. Anecdotal evidence of the exceptions aside, one only has to look at the majors of players to see that science/engineering majors are virtually non-existent – even at science/engineering schools (for example, check out Rice an engineering powerhouse).
S is on course to attend his dream school. This school offers no merit or academic $, all $ aid is need based. We will get some of the tuition covered through financial aid (we are just simple middle class people). If S goes pro, his admission is deferred until baseball is over. Baseball is decent; the coaching is superb. Many players from this school have been drafted; several are now in MLB. Academics at this school are off the chart and if you really focus on academics, there are boundless opportunities to delve deeply into your academic passions.
To us, (and assuming the draft – over which we have no control), receiving slot $ and future school (at this school) fully covered seems too good to pass up. It gives S the chance to fully focus on baseball in his drive to reach the Majors without the distraction of school and without compromising his educational goals. I presume that professional baseball will maximize whatever talent he has and one day (whether it’s 2 years, 5 years, or 20 years) the baseball will reach a conclusion. If he makes it to the Majors, his financial future will be fine and he would have achieved life satisfaction (assuming baseball does that). If not, his dream education awaits, fully funded! Both options pursued to conclusions; neither sacrificed nor short cut for the other.
To be sure, he passes up playing collegiate baseball (a priceless experience) and, upon returning to college, will not be that wide-eyed 18 year old to whom everything is new. Rather, he will have been on his own for a period, self-sufficient, and probably not into what college freshman do to have fun.
In exchange, he is on his own earning poverty wages with people he most likely would never have met (a priceless experience) living a dream which maximizes the time he needs to devote to his singular goal.
I guess I am asking for input from you’ll. Talk to me about the facets of this decision to go pro out of hs.
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