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Does which college you will be attending affect draft position? What about the $ amount of your scholarship? In other words, if you have good $from a big time baseball school, will pro teams take that into account? As opposed to having good $ from a mid-major school, or less $ from a bigger school? Conversly, if you are drafted, will a school up their offer to help to keep you in school? Just curious. Thanks for any info.
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School generally factor your draft status into their recruiting equation. Some coaches at top programs target players projected in rounds below 8 or 10, because they know the chances of getting them to school are better than rounds 1-5. Lots of school sign players they know will be drafted and are generally out of meaningful money for fall by the draft. Nobody is going to change their mind and go to school for and extra $1,000, are they? If a player has enough status MLB will pay for school.

EDIT: I thought of a player who did get his scholly bumped after the draft, quite a bit too. He turned pro. Like everything else, it depends on the school and the player.
Last edited by Dad04
My son went from what some thought a 2003 10th round choice to being drafted in the mid-40's after being forthright with the scouting bureau in his desire to go to school. That school was a mid-major with a nice scholly so I'm not sure how that would have affected his status or draft position.

IMHO what did affect his position in the draft was that he threw out a signing bonus number that was matrixed out by calculating the benefit of an education in hand versus the loss of potential income by going to school after a career ended and potentially a family to support. In the end I'm sure that bonus amount scared off teams...so be it.

With the small percentage likelihood of making the big dance, a reality check needs to be taken. MILB is poverty pay

If a career ends without the "big payday" and you live off the MILB salary without a substantial signing bonus you will begin your life after baseball broke.

Lets say a good portion of your signing bonus included a scholarship program, after your baseball career is over you will be in school for another 4 years, still broke.

After finishing school you may be entering the job market at around 30 years old at an entry level position. Sometimes that age issue is a disadvantage for being hired.

Careers in the working world includes investment opportunities ie 401K, stock, and savings that were lost because baseball doesn't offer them.

The biggest reason for his decision was that of potentially supporting a family without an existing nest egg. While the initial dream was to play baseball the reality check revealed the ultimate dream of raising a family "comfortably". That is not cheap endeavor and requires life long planning for the future which is potentially is lost while playing baseball. In a risk analysis sense a MLB contract is a high risk adventure and failure to reach the ultimate level is "lost opportunity" toward that "family dream".

In hindsight, my sons decision and plan worked out just fine for him. He graduated with a double major, lived the college experience, got an ok signing bonus with more school attached, and is still living the original dream.

The kids approach to school and the terms of his college "buyout" were so mature that regardless of what happened, he would make it work.

But, then again, to each their own. I probably would have signed for a bus ticket and a big bag of Davids seeds. That must be why my wife still calls him the only adult male in the family.

Sorry if this went a little off topic but when I thought it served a purpose in regard to the realities of making a big decision .
Last edited by rz1
Not sure how much draft status falls into the equation. Most kids sign their college deals before their Sr. years of HS begins anyway. Also, I'm not sure playing for a "top" baseball school is that big a deal to pro teams either, although if you pass the draft and attend college, scouts would probably like to see you against better competition. If you have the tools pro scouts are looking for, it doesn't matter where you play.

rz1 is right on about the poverty wages in MILB. And if you think college before the draft means a lot, then that's probably the way to go, not only for the "getting close to a degree" factor, but you will get bigger and stronger in a structured college athletic environment.

My son was a 7th rounder out of HS, passed on signing and went to a regarded mid-major ( had numerous big baseball school offers (stayed 4 years with a TJ surgery and redshirt year included), played 3yrs. and became a 3rd rounder with a good bonus and has only 2 classes to go to get his degree.

I think the biggest question is "are you ready for pro ball". It's a different world all together than college. Although many receive a scholly plan from MLB, surprisingly a very small % actually take advantage of it.

It worked out well for my son and he would make the same college decision over again. Pick a school you are comfortably with if college is a priority. You can hear other people's stories about this but in the end , no 2 are alike and in the end, it's what best suits your situation at the time.
quote:
Originally posted by Bob Williams:
You maybe interested in today article from the Oakland A's. When we travel Internationally, it is easy to determine who should sign and who should attend college.

Bob Williams
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/...02/23/SPPL162KI9.DTL



quote:
The young players often are in remote areas and have little idea how to do the basics, like meals and laundry and bill-paying. A's bullpen coach Ron Romanick recalls one minor-league pitcher who didn't understand how to use an ATM - he thought it simply gave out money all the time, not realizing it was coming out of an account with a certain (dwindling) balance.


Maybe that is what the scout told him.....and I thought my baseball player was a little green.
Last edited by Dad04
RZ 1;

Last night a pro scout, who has traveled to Australia with our teams and I discussed this question.

All our coaches are pro scouts and with 12 games played in 14 days with SSK wood bats, the scouts have an opportunity to evaluate a player as he travels, lives with a host family and competes against the best players in the "land down under".

1. It is his face, the way he approaches the game, makes no excuses and his preparation.
2. He is loose, smiles and enjoys playing the game.
3. He is mature for his age, does not call home daily and does not desire a cell phone [does not work in Australia].
4. He ask questions of our coaches, requests extra hitting or fielding. If he is a pitcher, he throw his 3 innings and then runs the outfield fence without a coaches instruction.
5. He is extremely focused on baseball as his career.

Several players Delmon Young, Bobby Jenks, Jeremy Bonderman are my examples.

Professional baseball at age 18 is very difficult. The majority of high school players should attend college. Select a school where you can "play and learn".

Personally college was the best for me, I obtained 2 degrees; BA in business and a MA in Social Psychology.

Bob
quote:
The kids approach to school and the terms of his college "buyout" were so mature that regardless of what happened, he would make it work.

That is a very mature kid. Good for him

But, then again, to each their own. I probably would have signed for a bus ticket and a big bag of Davids seeds. That must be why my wife still calls him the only adult male in the family.

That would be my kid LOL

great posts, great topic
quote:
Originally posted by rz1:
quote:
A's bullpen coach Ron Romanick recalls one minor-league pitcher who didn't understand how to use an ATM -

MLB sure doesn't have a problem signing DR players who can't even spell ATM


I could get into rookie league stories I've heard of foreigners roasting chickens on hotplates in the Days Inn and other non-politically correct stuff, but I won't.
I can only speak from our experience but right before the draft the College coach did up the scholarship as high as it could possibly go! He said if he could he would have offered him 2 scholarships to play ball for him! (lol!) Son did end up getting drafted and ended up signing even though the scholarship was fantastic. (he had gone 2 years to a JC which makes this a bit different than for someone coming out of HS)

Bob - I like your post but have to disagree on point 3 - calling home everyday - I don't see it as an issue unless they are boo hooing on missing home etc. Our son has always been very mature for his age and he calls home just about every day - because he knows it matters to us - his parents. He doens't need the contact, but I guess we still do. With baseball being part of our life for so many years we still like to hear the daily details which we can no longer experience with him being so far away.

rz1 - great post - I really agree with going to college (at least for a couple of years) rather than signing out of HS - it is a hard, hard life in the minors - and looking back, even though our son was very mature out of HS it would have been a longer, harder road. He is much more equipped now than I think he would have been right out of HS.
quote:
Originally posted by Dad04:

I could get into rookie league stories I've heard of foreigners roasting chickens on hotplates in the Days Inn and other non-politically correct stuff, but I won't.


I hear you Dad04, last year I heard a 1st rounder had to bring his own cappuccino machine with him so he could get a halfway decent cup of brew. cry

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