MLB or College?

Just another perspective;

1) Turning down $ 2.5 million at a young age is risky.

2) Turning down $ 2.5 million at a young age in a tough economic environment is very risky.

3) Turning down $ 2.5 million at a young age in the worst economic environment in our lifetimes (unless you are about 80 years old) is beyond risky. Its pure gambling.

Take the dough - make sure you take care of your parents - and run like a wild dog.

Hey Its... it's been a while.

Another perspective, in March 2006 I wanted to film a documentary on Independent League Baseball, being from Texas I reached an agreement with the FT. Worth Cats of the American Association. On that team were two guys that long time HSBBW members remember. Matt Harrington and Luke Hochevar, yes on the same team! (I have great footage on both)

Similar story different outcomes.

This forum proves that it is a completely individual choice that cannot be satisfied by a blanket answer or a minimum singing amount.

We've got the aforementioned Gerritt Cole and Danny Hultzen who turned down (I'm guessing) significant numbers as well as a fellow HSBBWer who would sign for a can of pop!

The RIGHT decision is the one that works out for YOU.

quote:

Originally posted by biggerpapi:
This forum proves that it is a completely individual choice that cannot be satisfied by a blanket answer or a minimum singing amount.

We've got the aforementioned Gerritt Cole and Danny Hultzen who turned down (I'm guessing) significant numbers as well as a fellow HSBBWer who would sign for a can of pop!

The RIGHT decision is the one that works out for YOU.

Great answer!

What would you want your son to do??

Me; "life changing money (excess of $1m) take it and give pro ball a shot for 2-3yrs, then to College.

Other than that; "Go to College and if baseball is meant to be it will be there for you after your Senior year also."

Great topic. Perfect message board conversation: A dream scenario with very little parameters.

Let’s assume you’re a player, parent, or close adviser that’s actually facing this dilemma; versus pure water cooler discussions: ie, when I go pick-up my Nobel, should I take a private jet or fly commercial? Can we also agree that a group of trusted opinions are unanimous or nearly unanimous that the player is capable of playing in the Majors? And that the Player’s self-perception, Parent’s/Adviser’s perception and the respected Scouts’ or trusted sources’ opinions are all inline?

If this is true, then there are three questions the players needs to answers. First, what is fastest route to the Majors? Do drafted High School Seniors make it to the Bigs quicker than their peers who get drafted the following year out of a JUCO or 3 years later out of highly-ranked D1? (Further assumption: Highly regarded High School Senior is choosing between draft and the highest echelon of college baseball programs)

Second, what kind of natural life-perspective does that player have? Can the player perceive their baseball playing days are but a portion of what is going a long and richly fulfilling life? Does the player only function when surrounded within a baseball environment or does the player see that other people have worked as hard at other crafts and through conversation and interaction the highlights of those differing experiences can be drawn from each other and applied to each other specialty?

Finally, what’s the player’s bonus going to be? Unless I’ve completely misunderstood the professional baseball experience, the signing bonus is the single big pay-day until the player is eligible for arbitration in the Majors (I’ve seen references to free agency at the Minors level, but my assumption is that’s not nearly a lucrative?). Once the signing-bonus is paid, the player is a salaried worker like most of America; locked into a daily grand to meet your ongoing financial obligations and working for improvement in hopes of a better opportunity in the future. In that light, forget any payback for parents or people who helped you along the way, is the bonus big enough, that if managed properly, will be the nest-egg from which your foreseeable life decisions will be altered? Is it truly seed money for a business venture? Will it cover the full cost of your return to school? Can it buy a house? When baseball is done and you are ready to throw yourself at the next ‘project’ of your life, does the money open up opportunities that are otherwise unattainable?

Each of these questions will require a good deal of research. The financial questions may be the murkiest and the hardest to get an honest opinion on. Get in front of an accountant and a financial advisor; in fact, get in front of 4 different ones. Make calls, go see people.

PS: It’s my understanding that private planes are frowned up in the laureate community, but it offers the most flexibility to your schedule for all the interviews you’ll be doing after the award ceremony.

quote:

Great answer!

What would you want your son to do??

Me: I dunno. IF it ever came up i think i would advise him to do what he wants to do. All I can do is support him along the way. But, if he were only being offered a bag of peanuts and a bus ticket I would like to think he would be smart enough to go to college, get an education, and play ball if it is available to him. If he were silly enough to take the peanuts and bus ticket... well maybe he isn’t cut out for higher education .

I think we often assume that pro ball is a big risk, with little chance at being successful and college is the ticket to success and a better life.

More important than either pro ball or college is the person themself. A college education has obvious advantages, but it does not guarantee success. There are many college grads scraping to get by these days. Many that didn't make it to the top in pro ball have used that experience to be successful.

I'm definitely "pro" college in most cases. That said, I know people who went pro for very little money... got released... and became very successful in the real world. I know some that signed for a small fortune who are now suffering. I know college graduates who are struggling.

The professional-college choice is one of many choices a person will make in their life. It's a choice that most will never have. No matter what choices people make there will be obsticles along the way. You either jump those hurdles or you crash and go down.

My point is... It's about the person more than that one choice. There's risk involved in everything. Everyone will make wrong decisions. It's all about how someone recovers from those wrong decisions.

I would agree with whoever posted this advice... If you aren't sure of what you want, you should probably go to school.

IMO, If you're absolutely sure of what you want... Go for it! IMO, there is more to life than making every decision based on business thinking. Will you marry the girl that you love the most, or will you choose the one that has the most money and that gives a better chance for security in the future?

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Will you marry the girl that you love the most, or will you choose the one that has the most money and that gives a better chance for security in the future?

Oh, look out for that analogy PG. I could write a book on that choice; Love too, can be a fleeting thing! You point is valid, however. You only get one shot and it's up to the individual to make or break their lives!

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Originally posted by njbb:
Discussing whether a player should take the millions or go to college is unrealistic.....How many players have that choice ?.. the question should be how little would you sign for? What is the pro experience worth? I don't think the experience if its 1 yr or 20 is a waste of time its unique to a select few.

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Originally posted by Prime9:

quote:

Will you marry the girl that you love the most, or will you choose the one that has the most money and that gives a better chance for security in the future?

Oh, look out for that analogy PG. I could write a book on that choice; Love too, can be a fleeting thing! You point is valid, however. You only get one shot and it's up to the individual to make or break their lives!

Baseball and love? Both have their waiver wires and free agency.

Excellent topic and points...

I know that last year, my son's senior year in HS, there were over 1500 players drafted and his name was not on the list. So, no need to fret over that decision...but, it isn't like we expected him to be drafted either...I know that had he been drafted, he probably would have seriously considered it, but college was probably his best choice either way.

If he is fortunate enough to be drafted after his Junior or Senior year(s), I hope he goes for it if that's what he wants...which I expect he would...

From what I've seen after one semester, I think he has really taken to college (on and off field) and has a shot to contribute on the field through his career. Based on that, he will have gotten a solid education, been a part of something special and had the opportunity to show the scouts what they must have missed last spring However it works out, he'll have great friends and memories and a life long love for the game...Not bad payback for all the fun we all have had and continue to have on the ride!

quote:

Originally posted by Prime9:
What would you want your son to do??

We almost got to that point this past draft. It seemed for a while that my son might get drafted. An injury sank that.

But, in preparation for the draft, he had a scholarship waiting for him. So we set a number in our heads that would allow him to skip college for the time being. In our case, that number was quite a bit higher than where he was projected to be drafted.

We told ourselves that IF he was drafted and IF they met that number, then he'd go pro. If they didn't meet the number (with absolutely no wiggle room) then he'd go to college and try it again in three years.

I'm a firm believer (although I don't always like it) that God will provide events in our life the way they're supposed to happen. An injury sank his draft chances and he went to school. I am secretly thankful for that injury because as he completes his first semester, I know for an absolute fact that he's in the right place.

We just got "lucky" that we didn't have to make the decision!

If you asked him, he had a huge desire to be drafted bu I think he'd have to admit that he's in the right place too.

Also, a lot of the posts earlier in this thread talk about turning down seven figures. However, the vast majority of draftees aren't looking at those kinds of numbers.

So, wanna go pro for $2.5 million? Wanna go pro for $16,000? Two totally different questions.

quote:

Originally posted by biggerpapi:
Also, a lot of the posts earlier in this thread talk about turning down seven figures. However, the vast majority of draftees aren't looking at those kinds of numbers.

Oddly enough most parents feel their players are worth much more than they actually are. Been there done that, that's why most HS drafted players head to college. My opinion is that most are looking for more than they are worth (at that particular time in their career). The draft really isn't as mysterious as it was years ago, most players have a good idea where they will fall, lot of that is due to the attention you get. If a GM or his assistants, cross checkers and regional guys show up to watch you play, then you know you are a strong consideration top rounds, if Scott Boras or one of the larger agencies ask to represent you, that is also a sure sign. If PG or BA has you projected for specific rounds, you probably will get drafted in those rounds. If his name is no where to be found and he gets drafted, make sure that you understand the differences in opportunities.
FWIW, for those that are drafted early, the decision is harder than one that is drafted later, as most likely that player has a very good college scholarship to give up, and should be rewarded as such, within reason. That is usually where the money becomes an issue, as one can understand. And the point about the player being able to negotiate for his future is an important one,as he he will not be able to do that most likely for a very long time.

PG brings ups some very good points, and IMO no one knows their player better than the parent. That's why it comes down to such a personal decision. When faced with the decision out of HS, we didn't see our son being mature enough (as much as he was) to join the workforce, after 3 years of college he was more than ready. It might very well be that if he had gone pro, he might be at a higher level, but that is my point about not looking back once the decision is made. It is what it is and he doesn't regret the decision.
About being drafted (especially early), make sure it is for the right reasons, not just to hear your name called, remember that a scout put his faith in you and if he doesn't deliver he could lose his job.

quote:

Originally posted by TPM:

Oddly enough most parents feel their players are worth much more than they actually are.

Nope! If I said my son (either one) was worth 2.5M, I am sure that I am undervaluing his worth by a long shot...not necessarily his value to professional baseball, but definitely to his parents!

But, I know you meant value to professional baseball and I am in complete agreement that most parents over value their son's abilities at just about every level!

quote:

Originally posted by TPM:
Oddly enough most parents feel their players are worth much more than they actually are.

There are probably different ways of interpreting this. Many parents believe their son is the best player on the field, regardless of reality. I suppose I have fit into that in the past.

In our case, with all of the information we had available to us before the draft, I think we definitely set a number in our heads that was most likely higher than what he was "worth."

Was he worth that number to the MLB club? Probably not. But was he worth that number and more to us when we consider the fact that the odds are pretty slim that he (or most players for that matter) will play long enough to see significant dollars.

Yes, the option of going to school after MiLB/MLB is always there but it seemed more likely he'd get it done now as opposed to later.

So the number had to be high enough where it would be more than we could pass up. It was irrelevant to us if the MLB club thought it was realistic.