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Big Time Pitcher under the radar

B bballdad1954500+ posts
At Stevenson all we heard were college coaches were looking for pitching, pitching and more pitching.
It is astounding to me that they haven't been going after Robert Kennedy of Northside Prep.

I saw him pitch tonight for the fifth or sixth time this season. Pildes has been playing him in center and hitting him because he has power (leading the team in homers) and has a gun from center. But the kid is a trop flight pitcher.

I heard he hit 89 on the gun at a showcase (he only went to one). He throws at least that hard. He also has a nasty slider, a split finger and a curve. He has a high ACT score and GPA.

Scott Firth is the best right hander I have seen (I don't see Ordorizzi or some others). But Robert is just behind Firth in velocity.

I keep hearing if you are good, they will find you. Come and get him! No one else seems to be. He is definately has a D1 arm.

If this sounds like a commercial for a kid I like, and who has a great family, it is. But, as Sully and some others can attest, the kid is a big time player.
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S sulltiger24500+ posts
Bballdad
I couldnt agree with you more . IMO , part of the problem is that Robert plays for northside prep in the public league . Lets face it ..not much happening there . Hitting .500 in that conference is like hitting .300 in the ESCC or some of the other better conferences . If he played for any suburban school you betcha he would have already started to receive lots of attention . Playing for norwood this summer is a step in the right direction . He didnt play any decent travel last summer or fall to get his name out there ..big mistake . Hopefully its not too late . He most likely will need to go to a couple of good showcases this fall along with playing for Pildes to get some more good looks .
N Nails100+ posts
yes, I do. Are you trying to say that small guys don't get overlooked because of a few guys you named that are exceptions to the rule? I am just asking because you said he's over looked, the first thing that comes to mind is that he's small, colleges overlook small guys all the time. If he's a pitcher and he's short they probably will overlook him. I am just thinking of reasons why a kid throwing in the upper 80's isn't getting looks and the only thing I can think is he hasn't been to many showcase events, he didn't play summer ball, and he's small. I don't know cause I haven't seen the kid.
B bballdad1954500+ posts
Robert is not small. He is 6'. He was not at Stevenson or Plainfield because his conference isn't invited to those showcases.

Last night, against a good Hammond Cheifs team in Hammond, the Blues were down 3-0 in the 5th with two outs and men on. Robert came in from center field and got us out of trouble with a strikeout. He pitched two more scoreless innings. He also tied the game in the 6th with a 390 ft homer (I am being consrvative on the distance, it went way over the 370 mark in center) to center (he earlier has a double to the wall. The kid can play offense, defense, and he is a stud pitcher. As I said earlier, 90 mph or very close, nasty slider, and a split finger, and the old curve he always had.
DM Dolphin Mom100+ posts
Prep Baseball Report July 2008 issue lists Robert Kennedy, Northside Prep within it's listing of the Top 120 Class of 2009 Seniors. It is not easy to get noticed playing in the CPS League as it is not one of the stronger leagues in the state.

Other CPS Players listed by PBR in the July issue are:

Christian Hickman, Simeon
Jon Dorsey, Simeon
Adrian Perez, Clemente

CPS Players listed by PBR as "On The Cusp"

Richard Inman, Northside College Prep
Jason Ormond, Whitney Young
Noel Pagan, Lane
William Feliciano, Lane (Class of 2010)
Marcus White, Jones College Prep
Last edited by Dolphin Mom
N Nails100+ posts
Thought you all said he was a D1 type of player? Heartland is a great school, they go after a ton of guys from the area, they probably will be a powerhouse for awhile. Their definitely a team that I think can compete with D1 programs, relating back to a previous thread that tried to say juco's are greatly inferior to D1 programs.
Last edited by Nails
B bballdad1954500+ posts
Nails, I didn't understand your post. The first line seems to indicate that going JUCO means he is not a D1 talent. Then you say Heartland can compete with D1 schools. Not taking issue with you, just trying to understand your point.

I have seen most of the players in the area multiple times. I was at Stevenson, my son plays in the CSL and he has played travel ball. We have also gone to a couple of D1 college camps. Robert Kennedy has D1 talent. He stands out among all the players I have seen.

I think it is a good move if he does choose Heartland. The coaches are good and will help him continue to develope. He'll play right away in spring and fall. They have a brand new facility. He'll get good grades and be able to transfer to a big D1 if he does continue to develop. If baseball is over, he can transfer to a Big Ten school and get a good degree then. And he'll have saved a lot of money. I think JUCO makes sense for a lot of reasons.
T TNHN11100+ posts
Yes I agree 100% there are many D1 players at JUCO's in fact 4 players down here this year have rejected D1 offers and choose to play JUCO for one reason or another. Heartland is a GREAT OPTION. So are the other schools in that conference. SCI, Springfield College has won the conference the last couple years along with Parkland and Lincoln Land, the conference has outstanding talent. All you have to do is look over the years at how many players have been drafted out of Lincoln Land or how many players in this conference have moved on and then been drafted to know JUCO is a fine option.

The Kennedy boy in my opinion could choose from any D1 around and they would be getting a fine player.
N Nails100+ posts
I always defended juco's. Too many parents look down their noses at them and act like they aren't good and their kids need to go D1 or nothing. I defended Illinois juco's especially on other threads stating that I think they can compete with the Illinois D1 schools.

My only point is everyone seems to think this kid is a D1 guy, he's been at all the events like Stevenson. Why aren't the D1 schools on this kid if in fact he throws 88 mph. What's holding them back from giving him an offer? There has to be something, grades, size, attitude, what?
B BobbleheadDoll5,000+ posts
I wonder if he is proactve or just waiting for people to find him. I noticed the original post repeating the biggest fallicy "If you are good they will find you". To me that is one of the worst statements that you could ever rely on.
JC can be a good way to go. However there are JC and there are JCs. Many pro teams place their draft picks including top one on certain JC until they hammer out a deal. Obviously the main reason is they don't have to waite for 3 years to sign the player. I have seen top icks go to JCs and not be dominant so there must be some very talented players competeing at them.
I have also seen a high school age team beat a top D1 JC and a D1 college. So if antone can figure that out let me know.
N Nails100+ posts
putting draft picks on JC programs to hammer out a deal is gone. That was the draft and follow process and they don't do that anymore. JC is a great option for anyone in my opinion and there's alot of reasons to go. There are some schools though that don't like taking juco transfers for whatever reason. As for someone beating someone else, that's baseball and anything can happen.

Still want to know if this kid was at Stevenson with 60+ schools there and he's a pitcher throwing 88 mph, and everyone is signing pitchers and wants pitchers and there's not many that throw 85+, why is he not being talked to. There's something weird with that story and something not being said, or maybe he is getting offers he just doesn't like them. But every pitcher with a good arm has pretty much been contacted by someone so far.
Last edited by Nails
B BobbleheadDoll5,000+ posts
You are right that draft and follow is gone but they still do this. The guys I was talking about are top picks that woudn't accept the offers. Top prospects out og HS often end up at JCs even after DF is gone.
It is highly possible he has things that you aren't aware of. My son had many offers from colleges that he wouldn't take because they were cold weather and out in the sticks. there could be several reasons for not signing.
Last edited by BobbleheadDoll
N nc42dad500+ posts
I spoke with a Coach at a top 10 JUCO. They are a D-1 JUCO that consitantly ranks nationally. They only give scholarships to pitchers who are consistantly above 88 mph. Otherwise, you walk on.

Now, I have seen/heard many kids who have signed on at D-1's in our Midwest area and I believe that a majority of them that I seen are not even close to a consistant 88 mph. Yes, I am only referring to a fraction of the kids but it sure sounds to me like the talent at some of the top JUCOs is nothing to turn your nose up at. JMHO
B BobbleheadDoll5,000+ posts
My son had an offer from a top JC whcih had been to the D1 WS 4 years in a row. HC was a pitching guy and most of his scholarships went to island guys. My son only threw 78-82.
I think people set these dtandards in their mind but the truth is if you can pitch there will be all divisions interested in you. My bet is that he has had interest but nothing that interests him or thye money isn't right.
My son's college had guys that were sub 80 and they had guys in the 90s. They had a freshman who hit 96 recently. Don't set artificial barriers for yourself. Soft tosser do get interest from top colleges but you can't sit back and wait. They also tend to have to prove themselves but they do get great offers.
Last edited by BobbleheadDoll
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