QUOTE]Originally posted by Tiger Paw Mom:
Shep,
Again, you keep bringing up the money issue with the bonus bucks. Very few get rich from signing bonus, we all know the big $$ come later on, when and if you do make it. And signing bonus' are WAY down from what tehy used to be, the result, more and more going to college first, because it is a lot about the signing bonus to them and their parents.
How about this scenerio, which could be a very USUAL one. A HS player drafted in the 14th round, gets 140K, his college education would have been paid mostly by a great scholarship, to top 10 school. I haven't heard or seen his name mentioned once in three years, if he had gone to college you would know who he is, he was a top ranked player in HS. Good choice?
Obviously for HIM it was, he wanted to go pro more than go to college (this was not a pitcher by the way but a hitter who could have gotten his at bats in college), but for others, may not be the right choice.
Don't continue to place a price tag on it. Go back and read Gratefuls first paragraph.
And why would you have to pay for a college education when there is the MLB scholarship program, a good selling point for going pro, right?
College vs. pro is about knowing what you really want to do, though for a HS player never away from home may be difficult. It's important to talk about it early and NOT string others along until your name is called. If you really want to go pro and work, SIGN. But if you also want to go pro and earn most of your degree, experience college life and the college baseball experience, it CAN be accomplished just by seeing how many players ARE drafted out of college.
Discussion is good, always. It's important for parents and player to know the issues on both sides of the coin toss. However, this Is NOT a MLB or minor league website, this is a site where most of our players WILL go to college first. FYI, we didn't even have a thread for pro players, but many of the parents who first came here many moons ago, have college players who have gone pro.
I look upon the scout the same as a college recruiter, they are BOTH salesman, one selling their school the other selling his team. Each tends to leave out lots of the particulars in the visit. If it wasn't so confusing, people wouldn't be here asking questions. I found MOST scouts to be more up front than some college recruiters, but only because we had done our homework asked questions and I did here on teh HSBBW. MANY players I know who turned down going pro was NOT because they really wanted to go to college, but because they didn't get offered what they felt they were worth. A FEW players I know turned down really BIG money because they really wanted to go to college first.
That's why we have the HSBBW, so some of us can give information (not all good, not all bad) for those that have questions. I as a PARENT with a son who had to make a tough decision will always tell someone, if asked, the good and the bad on both sides. For mine, the college experience is turning out to be a great one and he is happy. I am sure if he had gone pro out of HS he would be happy as well. Did we want him to go to college first, yes, he was a very good student, if things would have been different, a fair student who didn't do well with a lesser oportunity, most probably he would have been drafted in the 6th, 7th round and signed. So I am NOT entirely PRO college, just want to let parents know there is an upside and a downside to any decision their son will make.
JMO[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]
To "Tiger Paw Mom":
Although I am listed as a "new" member, I was a member some years before...just had to re-register in order to make this posting. I have frequently looked at the postings on the HSBBW site, but not every day. I just wanted to comment to you that of all the postings/discussions on the topic "Pro vs. College" yours was by far the best and the least biased in either direction. Your commentary was RIGHT ON! I don't remember if you got the rebuttal from either "The Shepster" or "Vance34" of "...you don't get it!" or not...I think that response was mostly between them and "TRHit," but, if they did, I am here to say that you most assuredly DO GET IT! As you so accurately state in your post, "..most HS players don't really get the big bucks...".And, unless the bucks are potentially life changing, IMO $1million or north thereof, why do it or at least even consider it? I do know of one player in our area who allegedly turned down $1.3 million to attend college and play D-1 ball. Now after all taxes, fees, etc. this would mean a lifetime income, at a rate of only 6%..not the 10% one of the guys mentioned... of approximately $51,000 per year for life without ever having to touch the principle amount of approx. $850K...ever. And the college fund on top of that! At first I felt the player...or at least his parents...to be mentally challenged! But after reading your post, and reconsideration, I realized that, as you eloquently stated, the most important thing is for your son to be happy and at peace with the difficult decision. Your son is happy with his decision to go on and except what I'm sure is a very fine scholarship to a very fine school...I'm assuming that the school is Clemson. Bottomline he's happy. And another good point which you made is that the players, most of the time, don't get a bonus of the same zipcode at least as what to what they think they should get. My son felt this way also, and has decided to accept a very magnanimous scholarship to a very prestigious D-1, with a great academic reputation as well, and which was in the CWS in Omaha last year. Like your boy, my son has NOT given up on his dream of playing in MLB...in fact, in going to two great D-1 schools with great BB programs, they both may have even augmented their chances and potential bonus bucks. Only time will tell..and hard work. Just wanted to let you know that your comments on "College vs. Pro" were highly intelligent, and "right on", and easily the best of the lot! Good luck to you and your son.