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PLAN on going to college ---- ONLY go pro if you CANNOT turn it down.
quote:
Also, he said most likely he's going to go to minor league ball. Which is the same as college pitching.
NOT true! Only the BEST college pitchers are in the pro ranks. The average and below average college pitchers are not drafted.
Fungo
Fungo,
The whole thread doesn't seem to be here based on some of the responses so I may be off base in answering this one but just to be controversial here goes:

Not true! Some of the best college pitchers who weren't as talented or as signable as their drafted out of HS brethren pitch in college. The most talented pitcher out of our HS league this past season was drafted in about the 4th round. There were several pitchers in the league who were better pitchers including 3 or 4 who weren't drafted. I would expect them to be drafted out of college. The one who was probably the best pitcher in the league wasn't drafted until about the 32nd round and will probably pitch in college unless he gets well better than 32nd round money. We'll also never know if another pitcher from our league was one of the best pitchers in the league or not since he only threw 11 innings all season, and yes he was primarily a pitcher. He was drafted in about the 24th round.

What I'm saying is that there are a lot of pitchers drafted out of HS who have a lot of talent but wouldn't be particularly good college pitchers for a few years to come. The vast majority of the pitchers drafted out of college are very, very good pitchers but there are also a limited number of college pitchers who don't get drafted who are as good or better pitchers but don't have the pure talent for the scouts to risk a draft pick on them. Also, some of the best college pitchers are freshman, sophmores, juniors who simply aren't eligible to be drafted yet and the occasional senior looking for a better deal. They may be significantly better than the lower tier of those who were drafted (lower tier being a relative term).
Last edited by CADad
quote:
Originally posted by obrady:
unless you just want to play college ball, go pro. most contracts will be written to pay for college after a certain number of years.
There's a limited period of time to take advantage of MLB paying for college. At the same time the organization expects the player to be working out in the offseason, if not playing instructional ball. Go to college unless the money is too good to turn down.
quote:
most contracts will be written to pay for college after a certain number of years.


Not aware of the "After a certain number of years" statement. Some contracts pay for college after baseball and some don't ---- and some give you a "cash OR college" option instead of automatically placing the money in the MLB college fund. When my son was drafted by the Cardinals out of HS the college payment could be taken as cash at the time of signing. By the way I strongly suggest you take it in cash if it is dollar for dollar. When he was drafted by the Blue Jays after his junior year of college the college fund had to stay with MLB and could ONLY be used for college.

If you want to play pro ball PLUS earn a college degree then I strongly suggest you go to college out of high school. It's sad but the coffers are full of money at the MLB college fund ---- that money was placed there for young players' college education that OBrady talks about. They never used it. Something happened with their priorities between the time they were drafted and the time they were released. I would imagine it would be a tough row to hoe for a 25 year old man just released from MiLB, married and the father of a child, car note, doctor bills, and all the responsibilities that come with being an adult, to focus on college for the next four years. Impossible? Not at all. Difficult? You bet!

Years ago I had basically the same option. It was called the GI Bill. My college was going to be paid for after I got home from Viet Nam. The only problem was I had a wife and other responsibilities. I tried it but the burden was too great. I withdrew from college and went to work ----- as many of the MiLB players have done and will continue to do.
Fungo
quote:
some of the best college pitchers are freshman, sophmores, juniors who simply aren't eligible to be drafted yet


CADad, You're right! But where do you think these "best college pitchers" end up next year and the years to follow"? MiLB!
Understand too that this draft "the best" process has been going on for many years and MiLB has accumulated many great pitchers over the years. Many of those great college pitchers that were freshmen, sophomores, and junior pitchers in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 , have been drafted and are now more mature MiLB and MLB pitchers. College baseball has great talent. But Milb is the next level ---- UP.
Fungo
These decisions are based upon a lot of variables.
One must consider these questions.
First, do you have a scholarship? If so, how much?
Second, what round were you drafted and how much are they offering?
Lastly, what was your GPA at graduation?SAT's?

If your grades are poor, scouts will know your options are limited, which will affect your draft round thus affecting bonus.

If you feel you were drafted a lot lower than expected, you may want to commit to either a junior college or 4 year college depending on how quickly you would like to be drafted again.

Jr college is an option used for kids who do not like school as much and want to mature and increase their value for the upcoming draft.

A 4 year college gives you a chance for more exposure to scouts along with maturity and physical and mental development. And not to mention...a college education!

If drafted in a high round and your bonus covers not only school but future earnings then you may want to take the bonus.

Summing it up, the odds of anyone making it into the big leagues is maybe, I said maybe 5 % and that is just making...not staying. So, safe bet, is to go to college and get an education while vying to be drafted once again.

I found this article very interesting.


Article on Odds
I can't say from first hand experience how many contracts are written with college money, only from conversations I've had with pro scouts, no my own son but ones scouting a top prospect at my son's high school. One in particular said he'd never seen or been involved in a contract that didn't offer college money. Maybe he only negotiates with the top prospects, I don't know.

If I remember correctly, he said that if the team cuts the player, for any reason, or the player quits after 3 years......then the player can get the college money. Maybe it's just his team but that's what I remember. I also have heard that some kids are offered and option, bigger signing bonus or a college fund. At least the kid and the family have a choice. I still say, if you want to play college ball, go to college, if you want to play pro ball, go for it. College will be there.

We all know it ends someday, for some sooner than others. If the dream is to play pro ball, I say go for it. If the kid "really wants" a college education, there are ways. Especially if there is money out there to pay for it. After all what happens if the kid gets injured in college, then he never gets the chance to chase the dream.

If a kid gives it 5 years and then leaves pro ball and wants to go to college, shoot, today, kids seem to still be living at home by age 23/24 anyway. At least someone else is helping with the bills, now that's something I can talk about.
Last edited by obrady
quote:
Originally posted by Fungo:
PLAN on going to college ---- ONLY go pro if you CANNOT turn it down.
quote:
Also, he said most likely he's going to go to minor league ball. Which is the same as college pitching.
NOT true! Only the BEST college pitchers are in the pro ranks. The average and below average college pitchers are not drafted.
Fungo


I agree with the first part. Only go pro if you CANNOT turn it down - for whatever reason, be it the money or lack of grades or no desire for college or whatever. But have a reason to go other than ego. I got that advice from an x-MLB allstar turned professional scout (plus a couple of other ex-pros). He used it successfully with his son.

As for the best pitchers being in minor league ball, I'd say yes and no. Certainly the very top HS are drafted each year, BUT lots of other pitchers are drafted also based, not on ability, but projectability. Example, My son's ex-HS team. No. 4 pitcher is seriously being considered for draft. 1 thru 3 will all be playing college next season with no draft interest. Why the interest in #4? Projectability, 6'9" with a upper 80's fastball. In 3-4 years he could be the best of the lot - or not, but he surely wasn't this past season or the season before as he had major control issues.

In general minor league ball certainly does have better overall pitching but not all of it is better.
quote:
In general minor league ball certainly does have better overall pitching but not all of it is better.


The overall difference is night and day. Not even close. Professional pitchers are so much better, as are the hitters, fielders, fields, lights and bats. Everybody runs faster, throws harder and hits the ball farther more often. There are isolated examples of excellent pitchers in college baseball, who eventually transition easily to pro baseball.

I spoke with a Brewers minor league starting (former college) catcher in high A this weekend. Compared to college, everybody hits alot more spots and throws harder.

I like Fungo's advice. Unless you CAN'T turn it down, go to school.
Last edited by Dad04
Dad04,
The question is where is the transition? By the time players get to high A there's no comparison. I'm not sure that the better college pitchers are as good in general as low A either. My guess is that the top 30% of D1 college pitchers could compete very well in rookie ball or short season A. Does that mean that the pitching in D1 is as good as the lower levels of the minors? I don't know. You've got the other 70% of D1 pitchers vs. talented, but inexperienced kids out of HS, etc.

Fungo,
I don't think we're disagreeing too much. I'm just making the point that not ALL of the best pitchers are in the pros even if most will eventually end up there. Some of the guys who have gone on to the pros were sitting behind a younger pitcher who is still in college. For example, how many pitchers were drafted from SDSU will be better next season than Strasburg?
I also agree with Fungo's advice. Unless you can't turn it down go to school.

The college scholarship plan can somewhat be deceiving. Unless you are a high draft choice with bargaining options, the money you receive (out of HS) is usually based upon state tuiton where you reside. So if you are going to college with a scholarship worth 100K, don't count on that. Actually my son received more for ONE year left of college than 4 years if signed out of HS. It's not an open access plan. Smile I am not sure if it is or is not offered to everyone out of HS, but my son's friend with time left to college, was NOT offered much to speak of to finish from one drafting team as a junior, so he turned it down and went back to finish school and drafted again. Every team approaches things differently and largely that's based on whether they can live with you or without you. The strong college option is one of your best bargaining tools.

Without a doubt there is very fine instruction in many college programs. That has changed tremendously, one reason why you see so many college players drafted. Going to college doesn't mean you will get better or worse, but most of the time it was there to begin with, they just needed to mature.

A player has two years (pretty sure unless it has changed) from the time he leaves pro ball to begin his college studies. The disadvantage as Fungo mentioned is time and the commitments you gain along the way can stand in the way, the longer you put it off, the less you will be likely to attend. Unless you have saved every penny of your bonus, which most likely would have to assist your college education and living expenses, in this day and age one has to work to survive. It's not the 23 year old living at home, it most likely may be the 25 or 26 year old who decides he no longer wants to be an organizational player because he never reached MLB level and never saved a penny (which you can't while living on a milb salary). Some say take the bonus money in cash, that was not an option for mine, and if it was, then you pay more taxes. I am not sure many teams give that option nowadys.

From a pitchers standpoint it IS not the same. Those that found success in the college game with metal, might struggle against wood. That's what scouts tend to look for when drafting a pitcher. Will this pitcher be successful against the wood bat? Same for hitters, they are drafted on not so much what they smash with the metal bat, but what they might do with wood. The adjustment period for some is a long process, some it's relatively easy. Most players in milb have the tools that got them drafted, now it's a matter of practice, adjustments, learning new things and adapting, which includes the life you will now live which is much different than at home or at college.

The lure of pro ball is strongly based on the glamour one sees in MLB. There is NO glamour in milb. Apprentices seldom see glamour. The work and commitment is very hard, the pay is lousy and many times you will find those that aren't as dedicated be there for the paycheck they get 6 months out of the year. Their most fun is going out after a game until all hours of the night getting free drinks and dinner and attention because they are pro ball players. That's very attractive for many. Not everyone on the team is 100% dedicated. There are great needs for those type of players to fill in spots, eat some innings, or get an at bat occassionally. They are living the dream, but most likely not sure if they had any other option.

O'Brady,
Appreciated your comments, but it is VERY hard to actually know what it's all about from what someone tells another or a scouts view. Yes playing pro ball IS living the dream, but it is now your job, not LL, not travel, not HS or college ball. And perhaps if you go to college and that is where your career ends, it's NOT the end of your dream because in college, most face the reality that your career most likely is not going to end up in MLB.
Last edited by TPM
quote:
Originally posted by Sook:
quote:
I told yah, my dream is playing pro ball. Can't think of doing nothing else. i pratice everyday to become the best. when it comes down to it which round drafted probably wont care to me.


I would say the above most likely describes 98% of how many feel at your age.
Keep working for your dream, but don't forget about school, something many seems to forget is very important.
Last edited by TPM
quote:
Originally posted by CADad:
Dad04,
The question is where is the transition? By the time players get to high A there's no comparison. I'm not sure that the better college pitchers are as good in general as low A either. My guess is that the top 30% of D1 college pitchers could compete very well in rookie ball or short season A. I don't know. You've got the other 70% of D1 pitchers vs. talented, but inexperienced kids out of HS, etc.

Fungo,
I don't think we're disagreeing too much. I'm just making the point that not ALL of the best pitchers are in the pros even if most will eventually end up there. Some of the guys who have gone on to the pros were sitting behind a younger pitcher who is still in college. For example, how many pitchers were drafted from SDSU will be better next season than Strasburg?


CADad

Over the years in Florida I have seen alot of high A, AA games, a few Rookie level and MLB games. I have seen dozens of D1 games, been to just two regional tournaments. My personal opinion is 30% being competitive is maybe too high. Short season has alot of college all conference types and latin players and high schoolers who have shown ability to adjust and not gotten hurt. 30% of D1 pitchers is about 1,300 guys. Considering only about half of all D1 pitchers get meaningful innings to start with, is saying half of those guys could start or do well in the Pioneer or NYP leagues or even GCL. I don't see it. The depth of pitching staffs was tested this year with more 5 game weeks.

If a college team has 3 or 4 pitchers drafted they were probably near the top of their conference, if they could hit at all.

D1 college pitchers just aren't as good and there are less good ones on each team compared to even low level pro baseball. By the way, hitters aren't nearly as good either, even at the lowest levels. College teams are simply not as deep, talentwise.

I am not trying to denegrate college athletics, but I don't mistake it for pro baseball, jmo.

One, maybe two pitchers per D1 college baseball team would be successful at the lowest levels of pro baseball.

Nearly every time I go to a Florida State League game there is some sort of web gem and few, if any, errors. Nearly every time I go to D1 game there is at least one routine play booted or blown and 5 or 6 errors.

My sliding scale;

HS----D1----------------------Hi A
Last edited by Dad04
There is magic in the word D1, apparently.

Parents who would never consider suggesting that the most competitive hs play is similiar to college ball can be quick to compare D1 to pro. Just as only the best hs players (1 in 10, per Our Bob's figures) get a chance to play in college, the odds shrink yet again to play pro.

This year there were 785 pitchers drafted from hs, JC & all levels of 4 year. Using Bob's figures again, there were 26,276 JC & college players at all levels. WAG, a third of the team could be pitchers, so even if every single pitcher drafted came out of the JC/college ranks (which we know they didn't), that's 1:11 drafted. And they're pitching against position players who will be drafted at a rate of about 1 out of 25.

It's easier to look dominant when throwing against teams who have maybe one guy who will ever play pro.

Of course, if you're watching the CWS and hearing about 3 or 4 guys drafted from a single team, the prospects (no pun intended) look rosier. But that's the elite of D1, not D1 as a whole.

And not all college pitchers are successful (or position players, for that matter, when you see guys who hit .400 in their conference happy to be hitting .250 in short season), comparing their college ERA with their pro. Pitching to wood instead of metal and pitching to teams full of hitters you only saw in the #3 or 4 slots in college will do that.
Dad04,
Well stated. Hard to disagree.

Orlando,
I think if you check and see the D1 teams that reached the CWS other than the few who came from weak conferences had more than 3 or 4 drafted on average.

BTW, that 1 in 10 number from HS to college doesn't hold true when you are talking about some of the stronger HS leagues. My guess is our league is about 1 in 2 or 1 in 3 making it to college ball at some level and a bit higher if you consider the ones who go pro out of HS. This year was a bit better than normal with 5 drafted out of the league. That's about 1 in 10 seniors being drafted out of the league. I think the league's 4th place team had 2 in the first 4 rounds. I believe 6 of our team's graduating seniors will be playing college ball, although only a couple will be D1.
Interesting discusion.
CAdad,
Lot of it depends on the level that you are watching.
My experience watching the higher D1 level for a few years, I used to think that it could compare to lower level pro ball. Not so. That was my perception watching some of the best play in college baseball. Something i also found very interesting. The very top level D1's spend a lot of money on maybe 4-5 players who will make an impact. The better your top players the better your team will perform, however depth can drop off suddenly.
I found it very interesting that many teams that had many first round picks dropped off early in the CWS while those with more overall depth had a longer run. If you noticed, when the top players didn't perform nwither did the team.

The 1 in 2,3 very much depends on where you may play HS ball and where scouts and college coaches concentrate. You may find higher numbers indicative of some states where immense talent can be found (California for one) and population higher but I don't think that's a general rule to follow under most circumstances.
quote:
Originally posted by CADad:

Orlando,
I think if you check and see the D1 teams that reached the CWS other than the few who came from weak conferences had more than 3 or 4 drafted on average.




Which is why I said that's the elite of D1, not D1 as a whole after you sugested that 30% of D1 pitchers could make it at the lower levels of pro.

Of course there will be higher concentrations of drafted players in particular baseball hotbeds, some even because of the coattail effect. Postulating an average doesn't mean it has to be spread at that rate.

Every year or so this discussion comes up. Last year I asked my son his opinion, having played D1 and both SS & High A. His opinion? He just laughed.
Last edited by FutureBack.Mom
DO TOP PROSPECTS PRATICE EVERYDAY TO SEE THERE BASEBALL DREAMS?

JUST WONDERING BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF FREINDS THAT SAY THEY WANNA PLAY PRO.(BUT PRATICE ATLEAST OUNCE A WEEK)

I PRATICE MY GAME EVERYDAY....AND HOPEFULLY I'LL PAY OFF IN THE LONG RUN.

I PRATICE HARDER WHEN THINKING THERES SOMEONE OUT THERE PRATICING EVEN HARDER THAN I AM.

MY MOTTO LOL
Last edited by Sook
Sook,
There may very well be some that don't work as hard as you think that they should who might move ahead of you someday.
It's not how hard you work but whether you are doing the right work to improve yourself. Also do know that growing bodies need rest, and even many pro baseball players do not work at it everyday.
I agree that you must have a good work ethic in anything that you do to succeed. But don't get too hung up that someone is going to like you better because you work harder.

Turn off the caps please, thanks.
quote:
Originally posted by spizzlepop:
Sook,

Nobody said to stop practicing. You're young, there is a lot of work to be done no doubt. Practice smart, study smart, live smart. Better yourself as a person first, and player second. Let the game come to you. Take it all in and don't for a second think that you've got it all figured out.


Great words of wisdom Spizzle!
Sook - you are starting to wear out your welcome here imho. We love having young people posting here but at the same time we don't need 15 year olds on here laughing out loud, showing disrespect, and not apparently understanding what adults are trying to say. Maybe you ought to read a few years before attempting to post. Otherwise, show a little more humility, respect for your audience, and try to blend in nicely/politely with the community.
Last edited by ClevelandDad

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