So your kid just turned down 1st round money

reese wanted 2 million and really wanted to attend south carolina anyways. simmilar thing happen a few years ago with Drew Myers

Sorry Dad04, just can't explain why one would turn that down to be a gamecock!
JMO.

Give me 1.3 mill and I can probably turn that into 2 mill before I need to spend any of it.

I'll never understand how guys that say MLB is a real goal in their lives turn down this kind of opportunity, let alone this kind of money. I know plenty of talented kids that would sign for $1,300. and the opportunity to play.

How true is this story? Can we get the Red Sox GM on the phone?

That kid either got very bad advice or has a very bad attitude. Some people like being wooed more than actually playing.

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I know plenty of talented kids that would sign for $1,300. and the opportunity to play.

There are more than a few Sr. Ragin Cajuns praying for free agent contracts right now.

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How true is this story?

Granted, until a player is actually picked it's tough to turn the money down. All we know is what the kid and Saberhagen said though. They sounded sincere.

That is a very interesting scenario and I think the question begs to be asked: Why didn't the team know before the draft that this player was unsignable for less than $2 million? It seems quite possible that what VaDad said is true here: "Some people like being wooed more than actually playing."

I have to agree with itsagreatgame. My son would probably be on a bus right now for $1300. $1.3 million????? Have to question the kid's desire. Also, I know calls happen at the last minute from organizations, but seems like everyone would have known if this kid was that far out from negotiating.

For some people it is not about the money--it is about playing where he wants to play in college and hope to be drafted three years later

Perhaps this says it all: the town my son grew up in has an internet paper run by one of his HS classmates from 1994-- the grads of the past are asked to send in hellos etc and my son proudly noted that he had played his college baseball at New Mexico State--you could sense the pride in the post--- for some, college is very important for others not as much

I'm with TRHit...Everyone looks at this differently. Some people would do almost anything for $1,300,000. Some people would sacrifice everything to have the opportunity to play professional baseball, while others feel nothing can take the place of a formal education. I say to each his own. My opinion is based on the fact that I have never been offered $1,300,000 for anything, I have never had the talent or the opportunity to play professional baseball, and I have never been to college and I am perfectly content with my life. Surely you agree with me because it's common knowledge that: Ignorance is bliss, money ain’t everything, and baseball is just a game.
Fungo

I get that a kid REALLY wants to be a Gamecock and get his education. My kid's a Cajun and love's it.

I get money aint everything. It ain't by a long shot. It's just real tough getting by without enough of it. I know.

Ignorance is bliss. Baseball is just a game, a very cool game.

To each his own.


FBM mom

Maybe I wasn't clear. He turned down a pre-draft deal for 1st round $$. The Rockies actually still drafted him in the 28th round.

I have been thinking about this scenerio and my son and have come to the following conclusion.

Right now my going on 20 son has everything he needs ,transportation, an ipod, a laptop, X-Box, TV, two pairs of khaki shorts he lives in, 2 pairs of new sneakers and some polo shirts, a DVD player, great friends, great coaches, a great scholarship and another shot at the draft. He is content. He is not thinking about retirement at his age, so money at this stage in his life is not important (though he worked all through HS and knows how hard it is to make it).
As I told Dad04, his experiences that he has had this year are priceless to him, he feels that college (not just getting your degree but the whole picture)is an experience that money can't buy.
With that in mind, all kidding aside about USC, I could see why the 1.3M was turned down.

This has got to be one of the most controversial topics on the site. While I respect everyone's decision and don't think anyone can tell another player or family what they should do, I just can't imagine a player turning down a first round draft pick. The 1.3 million isn't really the point, but does demonstrate that a club has confidence in and a desire to have said player. My son would consider it such a privilege to play pro ball that he would consider any offer and be gone if it was up to him. That's not where I stand. IMO money and round are just important indicators of your chances - just like college. It's not about the money - it's about an opportunity to live your dream. We all have different dreams and make different choices to achieve those.

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My son would consider it such a privilege to play pro ball that he would consider any offer and be gone if it was up to him. That's not where I stand.

Lafmom, I'm with you. I think that's why parents exist.

Dad04 ...

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He turned down a pre-draft deal for 1st round $$. The Rockies actually still drafted him in the 28th round.

Sorry, I misread the "called the night before" and made the offer. Duh !! That makes more sense to me now.

And I do understand his decision a little better now, tho as much as my son wanted to play in college, had ANYBODY called him at the end of high school with an offer, I think he would now be in his 5th pro season

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had ANYBODY called him at the end of high school with an offer I think he would now be in his 5th pro season

I think have one of those too. Plenty of kids have their cake and eat it too. College is still a possibility with pro ball.

dont believe everything you hear, i was at the game, and personally i dont think thats true, watching him play and work, he doesnt seem worth 1.3 million. Besides, its amazing how many people drafted in rounds 10-35 still think their worth at lesat a million. I must have had 10 guys drafted in round 10 or lower say they wanted 1.1 million or so STILL! and they all say " well they offered me 675,000 in the 5th and i turned it down" i personally dont believe any of that, mainly because the teams werent even calling people before they were picked this year. Dont believe anything you hear, out of all the guys who claim they got offered such and such, maybe 1 is right. And Reese Havens saying he got offered that is just stupid. Cus if you get offered that, your signing, bottom line. I guarantee if he really got offered that he wouldnt be a Gamecock. Thats just my view of things. Maybe someone else sees somethin i dont, but he didnt seem like that great of a player to me. And for a guy whos not Justin Upton, i find it hard to believe he would turn down 1.3 million to go to college.

And to conclude, i just want to say that i am not in any way saying Reese is NOT a good player, he is a very great athlete and i would take him on my team any day. And im not saying he didnt get offered that much. But as far as the All-American game, there were about 15-20 other players probably claiming the same thing. Reese is a Great ball player and i dont want to take away from that, im just putting forth my opinion on people SUPPOSEDLY turning down that amount of money. When MOST of them didnt. I know for sure at least 4 of the guys claiming to have gotten offered 800k or more, and turned it down to go to college are not telling the truth about such events. But yes, not taking anything away from reese, just saying, dont believe everything you here. Ego's have a way of changing money figures

Shane...In general, how are your negotiations going? Has anything significant happened yet? If not, do you have a "lean" yet or would it not be wise to indicate that at this time? After all is "said and done", a more detailed narrative of your experience would be very enlightening. Congrats and Good Luck!

OOPS...I probably should have posted this on your "drafted" thread...feel free to answer here or there.

I am very close to signing, we are working out some minor contract clauses and such right now. But i think the latest i will be signed is the 26-27th of this month. The major part of the contract, Money,College money,Incentive Bonus plan, all that is out of the way, now we're doing some stuff over Contract rights and such. It shouldnt be much longer, i'll keep ya'll posted on it.

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Originally posted by Fungo:
I'm with TRHit...Everyone looks at this differently. Some people would do almost anything for $1,300,000. Some people would sacrifice everything to have the opportunity to play professional baseball, while others feel nothing can take the place of a formal education. I say to each his own.

THIS, I completely agree with and it sums it all up IMO.

I know of a pro ballplayer who played in the CWS 3 times who has told his friends that he would give $1M to play there just one more time.

I also know that there are several things in my life that I could not have been bought out of for any price. Other things would take no more than a $1 for me to do.

Everyone has their reasons. I don't second guess ANY for the decision they make. Its their life and they know best what makes them happy. And it doesn't automatically represent a lack of desire or an overabundance of desire.

"To each is own." Fungo...I'll second that!

Good luck Shane. Strong organization for HS pitchers like you.

AHSPitcher,

Best of luck!

Its not like he's turning down pro baseball, i'm sure he'll be more than happy to play after college.

<<< I just don't get turning down the opportunity and everything associated.

Can someone please explain it for me? >>>

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I believe my son would probably want to take that deal, but as a parent I would be advise him against it.

Until he gets his college degree everything else should be secondary. A college degree is viewed as an entry level door opener. The odds of a player making the big show are still very high even after getting drafted. Can't even begin to name the players that get drafted and end up getting cut and are out of baseball now without their degree.

My advise, stay in school finish up your degree.

Most players who turn down and go to college ususally end up drafted again.
Again, not for us to judge.
However, after a year at school, I know my son would turn it down and start back in college all over again.

RAMROD, you can only play baseball for so long. You can go to school no matter how old you are! and, since when did employers start handing out 1.3 million bonuses to people with a 4 year college degree or a 5 yr one or a 10 yr one either for that matter???????? 1.3 million and a college scholarship for 4 years ALL paid for. So he turns down the money and he is on a 70 % scholarship to South Carolina and his parents have to come up with the other 30 % and spending money too!

Ever hear of Mark Texiera? He did the same thing when the Red Sox came a calling his senior year in high school. They called the night before the draft, said they would give him 1.1 mil. to sign. He thanked them but declined. They drafted him anyway in like the 8th round. He went on to Georgia Tech, had a great college career, was drafted 4th overall after his junior year (got a 10 million dollar signing bonus - thanks BORAS), and appears on his way to a terrific career.

Maybe the players know something about the RedSox that the rest of us don't?

Afer taxes and money blown, what is left is not worth it in the eyes of our family to give up college, which lasts a lifetime in so many ways. If your good enough, pro ball will be there later. Smart kid who made this decision with his head on straight.

College or Pro ... Whatever a player decides can never be the wrong answer! That's because the decision is made from a personal point of view and is the right decision for THEM at that point in time, even if others may choose differently. Gee, with hind-sight wouldn't many of us have changed a decision or two if we'd only known what was coming next? The key to the question is that this is a choice not many players get to make and until you're in that situation, everything is just speculation.

Make the right choice for you. Ignore the opinions of others who are not in your shoes. Not everyone has the same circumstances. Especially ignore those that state things as absolutes. They have limited sight based on their own bias.

The older I get... the more I realize... There are NO absolutes... involving tough decisions!

Thanks for the reminder BigHit

Every family and different dynamics. Some players may feel that they would sign for 100,000.00, some for 500,000.00 while others may need 4,000,000.00 before they will sign. Which one is correct and which one is wrong? It's different for each player/family.

There are an amazing number of ex-players out there -- some of whom played in the big leagues and earned what seemed at the time like great money -- who are drifting aimlessly through life, nearly lost, wishing they had some sort of degree and some sort of direction. More than many might think. To me, the awareness of these "lost souls" is not nearly what it ought to be and which is why whenever I am asked I always point a player toward school. And, as I said above, if you are good enough, it will all work out anyway. If you are not, then you probably have a tough road ahead and you probably won't take advantage of the school opportunity baseball promised to provide.

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There are an amazing number of ex-players out there -- some of whom played in the big leagues and earned what seemed at the time like great money -- who are drifting aimlessly through life, nearly lost,

jemaz,

With all due respect, your statement above is true, but aren't there more than a few ex-college students drifting aimlessly through life?

I agree that going to college is the best route for most young people, but I do believe many have done just fine going the other direction.

There are a lot of considerations beyond the obvious advantage of a college degree. Would Carl Crawford be better off had he went the scholarship route to Nebraska? Would Bobby Jenks have graduated if he went to a four year school? Every individual situation just can't have the same answer.

Every year we are asked for advice regarding many issues including this one. My answer is always the same, as some on this site might remember... I do not give advice in this matter. Why?... Because what ever I tell someone... it possibly could turn out to be the wrong advice. I'm far from smart or clairvoyant enough to give everyone the absolute correct advice.

By the way, it is possible to be plenty good enough as a baseball player and not be good enough as a student.

PGStaff:

What I am saying is that even if a player makes it to the big leagues, there is life after baseball (most of it actually) and a lot of guys -- including many with a decade or more in the majors -- look back and desperately wish they had a degree. If you can succeed at both, why not?

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If you can succeed at both, why not?

Jemaz,

Nobody can argue with that!

Now days, anyone with 10 or more years in the Big Leagues should be very thankful, but I guess people will always wish they had something they don't have.

I'm not going to argue it either. My point is this.

Min. salary in the big leagues over 300,000 a year.

Most make over a million a year.

The best health insurance and vision that money can buy for the player and his family for the rest of their lives.

over 100 dollars a day meal money

a retirement package 2nd to none in ANY business. A player that plays 10 years in ML gets over 100,000 dollars a season for the rest of their lives.

I could go on. I'll stop here because what job with a NORMAL college degree can give you this. Also, since when was getting a college degree a Guarantee. There are many who start every year and far less who finish every year.

All I'm saying is you may only get one GOOD opprotunity to cash in on what ML baseball has to offer. Why not take it while your young and still physically maturing if a club wants to give you good money to go see if you can cash in.

College will always be there. Playing baseball will not.

But, I must agree that if you don't have a passion for it, then go to college.

Vance,

What you are saying is nearly all correct.

Only problem is, you're basing everything on dollar amounts. Of course money is very important, but it does not mean the same to every single person.

My belief is as follows...

The player who truly wants nothing more than to play baseball (no right or wrong), should sign when the opportunity presents itself.

An arguement could be made that the player who would sign for nothing is the one that is doing it for the right reason.

If the ONLY reason for signing is the amount of money... I don't believe it's for the right reason. In fact, it might be a recipe for failure.

There are many sides to this debate. I don't think there are any standard answers that fit everyone.